NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, DEC 7
As the Congress prepares to make the ”Bharat Bandh” a success in Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Monday hit out at the opposition party and said state’s farmers will not back a ”political agitation” being organised against the Modi government in their name.
ભારતીય જનતા પાર્ટીની સરકારે અનેક વખત કહ્યું છે અમે MSP ચાલુ રાખવાના જ છીએ. વડાપ્રધાન શ્રી @narendramodi જી ની સરકારે MSPનો વ્યાપ વધાર્યો છે, MSPના ભાવ પણ વધાર્યા છે. pic.twitter.com/jkVCQE8ado
— Vijay Rupani (Modi Ka Parivar) (@vijayrupanibjp) December 7, 2020
Rupani claimed the Congress has lost the support of people across all sections of the society and pointed out that in the past the party had promised to make changes in agri rules that are covered under the new farm legislations.
Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda held a meeting with party MLAs and local leaders via video conference on Monday and asked them to come out in support of farmers who have called for the nationwide shutdown on Tuesday to protest against the Modi government’s farm laws.
आने वाली स्थानिक निकाय चुनाव की तैयारी की रणनीति में @INCGujarat के प्रभारी @SATAVRAJEEV जी की उपस्थिति में जिला कांग्रेस को-ऑर्डिनेशन कमेटी के साथ बैठक। pic.twitter.com/8riwcKwHar
— Amit Chavda (@AmitChavdaINC) December 7, 2020
Chavda called for keeping all APMCs (Agricultural Produce Market Committees) closed on the bandh day to express solidarity with the agitating cultivators.
He asked party leaders and workers not to force the bandh on people but request them to support the shutdown without resorting to picketing or causing damage to public properties, said Gujarat Congress spokesperson Jayrajsinh Parmar.
ખેડૂતો કેમ વિરોધ કરી રહ્યા છે?
નવા કાયદાઓનો મતલબ છે,
કોઈ મંડી વ્યવસ્થા નહિ
કોઈ ટેકાનો ભાવ નહિ
કોઈ ભાવ – તાલ નહિ
કોર્પોરેટ્સ દ્વારા ખેડૂતોનું શોષણ
લાખો મંડી મજૂર બેરોજગાર
વધી રહેલું દેવુંએક દિવસ આપણે આપણા અન્નદાતાઓ માટે સમર્પિત કરીએ અને ભારત બંધને સફળ બનાવીએ.
– @SATAVRAJEEV pic.twitter.com/d0KMFuAUfJ— Gujarat Congress (@INCGujarat) December 7, 2020
“Chavda asked local Congress leaders and workers to support farmers during the bandh but at the same time ensure that law and order is not disturbed.
“They should not take law into their own hands and support the bandh in peaceful Gandhian ways,” he said.
Addressing a press conference, Rupani accused the Congress and other opposition parties of using the name of farmers to organise the bandh against the Modi government.
The BJP chief minister accused the Congress of changing its stance on farm issues, saying the party, in its 2019 election manifesto, had promised to scrap the APMC Act.
“Opposition parties have called for the Bharat Bandh tomorrow (Dec 8) in the name of farmers.
“It is clear that farmers are only used as names, and the opposition parties, including the Congress, have come together to join the Bharat Bandh only to show their existence,” Rupani said.
“This is a political agitation in the name of farmers. Farmers in Gujarat are not dissatisfied and are therefore not supporting the agitation,” he said.
“We will ensure that law and order is not affected in the name of bandh. Strong action will be taken against those who indulge in illegal activities during the bandh,” the chief minister warned.
Farmers’ protests: 23 groups form umbrella body in Gujarat, extends support to Bharat Bandh
No section of the society is today with the Congress, Rupani said.
“Farmers are not with the Congress as the party has lost touch with people because it keeps changing its stance every time (on agri issues).
“In its 2019 manifesto, the Congress had said it will repeal the APMC Act (if it came to power at the Centre). It said it will remove limits on the export and trade of farm produce.
“Now, when the Modi government has done the same, the Congress is out to protest, and therefore, it stands exposed,” he said.
Rupani claimed that in 2013, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had talked about replacing the Essential Commodities Act and delisting fruits and vegetables under the APMC Act.
Even NCP president Sharad Pawar, as the Agriculture Minister in the UPA government, had written to chief ministers seeking changes in the APMC Act to facilitate the entry of private players in the farm sector, he claimed.
Rupani asserted that even after the new farm laws, the government will retain the existing system of deciding minimum support price (MSP) for agri produce.
DGP imposes Section 144 across the State
Ahead of Bharat Bandh call,Gujarat DGP Ashish Bhatia has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC restricting a gathering of more than four people at one place. Photography, videography of any unrest and its circulation on social media will attract FIR.
