Yogi Adityanath attacks Opposition parties for 'politicising' farm laws

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday came down heavily on opposition parties for "politicising" farm bills, alleging that they were using the innocent farmers to serve their petty political interests.

Alleging that the political parties, which have decided to back the 'Bharat bandh' call of farmers on Tuesday on the issue of three farm bills, had backed them during the UPA government in 2010-2011, the chief minister referred to a letter written by the then agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to the chief ministers of different states on the issue.

"During the Congress-led UPA government, the then agriculture minister Sharad Pawar had sent a letter to different states that APMC needs amendment and GoI is preparing a model act for the purpose," Adityanath said expressing surprise how the Congress, NCP and the parties which had supported them then have now gone back on it.

"It is an example of their double character and how they are firing from the shoulder of innocent farmers to create anarchy and disorder," he said, adding that opposition parties are betraying spirit of values, ideologies and principles in politics by unleashing anarchy in the name of opposing farm bills.

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Adityanath said the election manifesto of these parties also needs to be looked at. "Congress manifesto in 2019 had clearly advocated amending the APMC act and doing away with mandis but when the Modi government took a step in this direction they are out to spread anarchy and disorder."

The country has given a reply to the doublespeak of these parties and they should apologise to the people, he said.

He alleged that UPA and Congress had always used farmers as a tool to serve their interest but desisted from taking steps for their welfare as they had no plans for it.

"When the new law were enacted, in the standing committee of the Parliament it was discussed in details during which the Akalis, SP, TMC, Cong, NCP all had advocated APMC amendment and the model APMC act to give shape to the thought of one nation-one mandi and these very parties are now using innocent farmers to create disorder," he said.

Surprisingly, the AAP which had already issued notification for amendment in APMC act has supported Tuesday's bandh. When in government they say one thing, in standing committed another thing and today when Modi government has implemented this law in the interest of farmers, see their character, he said.

Seeking to take the wind out of Yadav's protest, Adityanath said Mulayam Singh had in the standing committee also supported the amendment and the model act.

Politics should be on values. If it is without principles and is like 'bin pende ka lota' then it will never gain people's confidence, he said.

Attacking the Congress, he said, "It does not suit a national party like Congress that it is using shoulders of innocent farmers to play with the lives of common people, specially when the country is fighting an important battle against coronavirus. This is like playing with the lives of farmers and also a part of conspiracy to weaken the fight against the pandemic."

To a question, he said when the talk between the farmers and the central government were on, on resolving the issue, there is no relevance of bandh.