The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday traded allegations over the Centre’s new farm laws after the former claimed that NCP president Sharad Pawar had supported the entry of private companies in the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMC).
The BJP, according to NCP, has been circulating letters, reportedly written by Mr. Pawar, in his capacity as Union Agriculture Minister during the United Progressive Alliance government led by Manmohan Singh, to attack the NCP president whose party has opposed the farm laws and backed the ongoing agitation by farmers.
The NCP, on its part, discarded the claim saying Mr. Pawar had contacted States about implementation of model APMC Act brought in by the Vajpayee-led government and it had not challenged MSPs to farmers. It said the letters are being randomly circulated to “confuse” the people.
Mahesh Tapase, chief spokesperson of the NCP, said, “The model APMC Act, 2003, was introduced by the Vajpayee government. However, many State governments were reluctant to implement it at that point of time. Mr. Pawar, after assuming charge in 2004, tried to form a broader consensus amongst State Agriculture Marketing Boards by inviting suggestions for the implementation of the said Act.”
Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik said that selective two pages from the 165-page letter are being circulated by the BJP to create misinformation.
“Mr. Pawar never talked about discarding MSP system. What the government is doing today is destruction of farmers’ rights,” said Mr. Malik, adding that mere verbal guarantee of MSP will not work and the Centre must ensure that in the law.
‘Political opportunism’
Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed that anti-social elements are trying to create anarchy through the farmers’ agitation. “When the Congress-NCP was in power in Maharashtra, it had brought in law for private APMCs. It neither snatched lands from farmers nor was any APMC closed down. Support to the farmers’ agitation is nothing but to score political points,” said Mr Fadnavis.
“We are confident that farmers will not fall prey to the mis-information campaign by the opposition parties. The Congress promised changes in APMC, so did NCP. Akali Dal was part of the cabinet when farm laws were passed and they did not oppose it. This is nothing but political opportunism,” said Mr. Fadnavis.
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