In the name of farmers, this is political agitation, no impact in Gujarat: Rupani on opposition supported Bharat Bandh call

Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today in a press conference here said, it is very clear that in the name of farmers, tomorrow’s Bharat Bandh call is an attempt of Congress and other opposition parties to show existence of their own against the Modi government. Neither praja, nor farmers are with Congress. Congress has lost contact with people. The recent election results have once against proved that farmers are not with Congress. Rupani exposed Congress, Sharad Pawar and others for double standards, showing that how they themselves had made announcements in the past to do the same if elected to power. Now when Modi government has done the same, they are protesting. Rupani said government is ready to listen any concreted suggestion. He said Gujarat will continue to function tomorrow and not join Bandh call. He said farmers are not with this agitation in Gujarat and therefore Bandh will not be successful. Rupani said, the government will take strict action against anyone forcefully imposing Bharat Bandh or closing Shops.

Official note:

Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today described the call for Bharat Bandh on December 8 given by the Congress and Opposition parties as a conspiracy against Modi Government to stay put its existence in politics.

He said that Congress has been changing colour every time, after it had promised to abolish APMC Act and all obstruction in its 2019 Election Manifesto if it comes to power. Now when the Modi Government has taken the same decision in the interest of farmers, the Congress has out of fear come out in support of the farmers’ agitation as political agenda.

Talking to media persons here, Mr. Rupani asks the Congress to first answer why did it changed its stance now after talking about abolition of APMC Act in the past. He wondered why should Congress and other political parties join the farmers’ agitation shedding crocodile tears when the farm leaders say that no political party will join them.

He said that Congress has come to its extinction from Lok Sabha elections to Local Self Government and Panchayats, and the people are no more with the Congress and have realised their political stratagem. It was the then Congress President Rahul Gandhi who had during his meeting with Congress ruled Chief Ministers about APMC and ECA that they wanted to delist fruits and vegetables.

Rupani recalled when National Congress leader Sharad Pawar was Agriculture Minister he had also in a letter to Chief Ministers talked about abolition of APMC. All parties in the Manmohan Singh Government were then in favour of abolition of APMC Act. Now they have plotted to oppose the Modi Government in the guise of supporting farmers.

Similarly, Mr. Yogendra Yadav now supporting farmers agitation for his political existence had in a tweet in 2017 asked the Modi Government to amend the APMC Act. And then, Socialist Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has joined farmers’ Shambhu Mela now while his father Mulayam Singh Yadav has supported removing APMC during UPA.

Rupani said that all these opposition parties are misleading farmers now to be in limelight some way or the other for their existence.

The Chief Minister said that Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken several steps for farmers’ welfare, increasing MSP to make them self-reliant. The new farm laws allows farmers sell their product anywhere in the country.

He wondered why should the opposition parties have joined the agitation for wrong demands when the Government is open to foolproof suggestions and opinions.

The Chief Minister said that Bandh Call on December 8 is getting no response from farmers in Gujarat and will not be successful. The Gujarat Government has purchased farm produces worth Rs 15,000 crore at MSP during the last three years to make the farmers economically strong.

Rupani said in clear terms that the Government will deal sternly with elements trying to forcibly implement tomorrow’s Bandh call or disturbing law-and-order situation. And the Government will provide adequate police bandobast to APMC yards seeking police protection.