Aim of first farm law is to end Mandi system, says Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday spoke extensively on farm laws evoking uproar from BJP MPs who demanded he should stick to speaking on Union Budget. Gandhi said the aim of the first farm law is to end Mandi system whereas the content of the second law is aimed at unlimited hoarding in India.

He also said the country is being run by four people –– ‘hum do, humare do’, –– a way to exclude small businessmen, farmers, among others. “There was a slogan for family planning ‘Hum do hamare do’. Like Corona comes back in a different form, this slogan has come back in a different form. Nation is run by 4 people,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader P Chidambaram told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that the government has failed to stimulate demand for growth in the country and the GDP will go back to the figures of three years ago because of “incompetent economic mismanagement”. He claimed that the budget for 2021-22 has failed as even a small amount of cash transfer has not been given to the poor and the rations are not being continued with. “This is a budget for the rich, of the rich, by the rich.”

A discussion on the Union Budget was held in the Upper House today. Earlier in the day, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday addressed Rajya Sabha on the ground situation in Eastern Ladakh. “Our sustained talks with China have led to agreement on disengagement on the north and south banks of Pangong Lake. After this agreement, India-China will remove forward deployments in a phased, coordinated manner,” Singh said, adding that India is committed to maintaining bilateral ties and peace along the LAC. Singh’ statement comes a day after Indian and Chinese troops along the border in Ladakh initiated the process of disengagement. Meanwhile, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said action will be taken against social media companies if they are misused. “We have flagged Twitter, and is in dialogue with them. Why is it that when police has to act in U.S. Capitol Hill they stand in support, but when a similar action is taken at Red Fort, they oppose it? Freedom of speech is there, but with reasonable restrictions. Why double standards?” he said.