News Analysis India

Tag: Sharad Pawar

  • PM Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari should hold talks with farm unions: NCP chief Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior Union ministers like Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari should hold talks with farmers’ unions to resolve the deadlock over ongoing protest against the three new agriculture laws.

    He said differences regarding the implementation of agriculture reforms can be resolved through deliberations.

    Pawar was speaking to reporters in Baramati, his hometown in Pune district.

    “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior ministers like Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari should hold talks with farmers’ organisations,” he said.

    “Piyush Goyal is from Mumbai and I don’t know how much he knows about agriculture,” he said.

    Goyal and a few other union ministers have been holding talks with the farmer representatives to break the impasse.

    Pawar said agriculture was a state subject and laws should be enacted after consultations with the state governments.

    “There can be differences over implementation of agriculture reforms, which can be resolved through deliberations,” the former Union agriculture minister said.

    According to him, laws for agriculture reforms were being discussed since 2003 when Vajpayee was the prime minister.

    “In my time, discussions used to take place with the state governments since agriculture is a state subject. A committee of agriculture ministers of nine states was formed to study and prepare a draft law, which was headed by the then Maharashtra minister Harshvardhan Patil.

    “The draft was prepared and states were asked to discuss it. But the present government has prepared its own law and got it passed in the Parliament amid chaos and without discussion,” he said.

    “There was no consultation and the states were not taken into confidence. Agriculture reforms have to be done when required. Differences if any can be resolved through talks,” he said.

    When asked about BJP leader Narayan Rane’s remark that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Sindhudurg on Sunday would be a good omen to pave the way for fall of the MVA government in the state, Pawar said, “Rane is an old colleague and I didn’t know that he cracks such jokes. His remarks should be seen as a political joke and nothing more than that.”

  • Sachin Tendulkar should be careful about speaking on farmers: Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    PUNE: NCP president Sharad Pawar on Saturday said cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar should be more careful while speaking on farmers’ issues.

    Many celebrities including Tendulkar and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar rallied around the government on social media using hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda following tweets by pop singer Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg backing farmers.

    When asked about celebrities like Tendulkar and Mangeshkar reacting to the ongoing agitation by farmers against the three new farm laws at the borders of Delhi, the NCP chief said that people had responded strongly.

    READ| Govt shouldn’t put Lata Mangeshkar, Sachin Tendulkar’s reputation at stake: Raj Thackeray

    “I would suggest to Sachin (Tendulkar) that he should be careful while speaking on the issues related to other fields,” Pawar told reporters.

    He alleged the Union government was defaming the ongoing agitation of farmers by calling them “Khalistanis” or terrorists.

    “These agitators are farmers who feed our country. Therefore, it is not right to call them Khalistanis or terrorists,” the former Union agriculture minister said.

  • Agriculture Minister not giving correct facts on farm bills, Pawar counters Tomar

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: NCP president Sharad Pawar said on Sunday that Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar is not bringing out “correct facts” on the three farm bills.

    His reaction came after Tomar expressed dismay over Pawar’s tweets criticising the farm laws, saying they were a mix of “ignorance and misinformation”, and hoped that the veteran leader will change his stand after knowing the “facts”.

    In a series of late night tweets in Hindi, Pawar said, “@nstomar ji is not bringing out correct facts before people. He has been assuring that the new laws will not affect the mandis but farmers unions are of opinion that the provisions under law favour rival companies.”

    “Under the new laws, farmers can sell their produce outside mandis but have no protection of MSP when they sell their produce to private buyers. This is what the protesting farmers have been saying since the beginning. It has not been assured that farmers will get the right price from the corporate sector in long term.”

    Pawar said last year the government, without taking any political party or farmers into confidence passed the three farm bills.

    He said it is the duty of the government to assure the farmers and appropriate discussions had to take place at the right time.

    In a series of tweets, Pawar had on Saturday said the new agriculture laws of the Union government will adversely impact the Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement and weaken the ‘Mandi’ system.

    Responding to the NCP leader’s remarks, Tomar said Pawar, who is a veteran leader, is also considered well-versed with the issues and solutions relating to agriculture.

    “Pawar himself tried hard to bring the same agriculture reforms earlier.”

    “Since he speaks with some experience and expertise on the issue, it was dismaying to see his tweets employ a mix of ignorance and misinformation on the agriculture reforms. Let me take this opportunity to present some facts,” Tomar said on Twitter.

    The minister countered Pawar’s tweet which said that the amended Essential Commodities (EC) Act “may lead to apprehensions that corporates may purchase commodities at lower rates and stockpile and sell at higher prices to consumers.”

    “The apprehension has no basis. Under the EC Act, the central government can intervene in case of extraordinary circumstances including war, famine, extraordinary price rise and natural calamities of grave nature,” Tomar said.

    He said the new laws encourage additional choice channels for farmers as they can sell their produce to anyone, anywhere with a hassle-free movement in and outside the state to realise a competitive and better net price for their produce.

    “This doesn’t affect the current MSP (minimum support price) system,” he added.

    Under the new ecosystem, the minister said, the mandis are not affected.

    Instead, they will be more competitive and cost-effective in terms of services and infrastructure; and both the systems will synergistically co-exist for the common interest of farmers.

    Tomar said, “As he (Pawar)is such a veteran leader, I would like to believe that he  was genuinely misinformed of the facts. Now that he has the right facts, I hope he will also change his stand and also explain the benefits to our farmers.”

  • Digvijaya backs Pawar’s critique of new farm laws, asks him to ‘drill some sense’ into PM Modi

    By ANI
    BHOPAL: Backing Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s critique of the new farm laws, Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday asked the former Union Agriculture Minister to “drill some sense” into Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    “You are absolutely correct Pawar Saheb. Why don’t you drill some sense into Modi ji? He has always held you in high esteem!!,” Singh tweeted while quoting Pawar’s six-tweet response to the central government over old farm reform plans.

    Pawar, the Union Agriculture Minister for ten years in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government, had on Saturday posted a critique of the new farm laws against which farmers have been protesting at different borders of Delhi for over two months.

    Pawar said the new central laws will adversely affect the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and weaken the mandi system.

    “Reform is a continuous process and no one would argue against the reforms in the APMCs or Mandi System, a positive argument on the same does not mean that it is done to weaken or demolish the system,” he tweeted.

    “During my tenure, the draft APMC Rules – 2007 were framed for the setting up of special markets thereby providing alternate platforms for farmers to market their commodities and utmost care was also taken to strengthen the existing Mandi system,” he added.

    Supporting the farmers’ stand that the new laws will result in loss of income, Pawar said, “New agricultural laws restrict the powers of Mandi system i.e. the collection of levy and fees from the private markets, dispute resolution, agri-trade licencing and regulations of E-trading.” “New laws will adversely impact the MSP procurement infrastructure thereby weakening the Mandi system. MSP mechanism has to be ensured and strengthened further,” he added.

    Pawar said he was also concerned about the amended Essential Commodities Act.

    “I am also concerned about the amended Essential Commodities Act. According to the act the Govt will intervene for price control only if rates of horticultural produce are increased by 100 per cent and that of non perishable items increase by 50 per cent,” he tweeted.

    “Stock piling limits have been removed on food grain, pulses, onion, potato, oilseeds etc. It may lead to apprehensions that Corporates may purchase commodities at lower rates and stock pile and sell at higher prices to consumers,” he added.

    Heightened security deployment has continued at the Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) as farmers’ protest against three agriculture laws entered the 67th day on Sunday. While the protest at Ghazipur border by the farmers (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border) has entered Day 65. Security has been beefed up as more farmers are coming to the protest site for the past two-three days.

    The next round of talks between the farmers and the Centre is scheduled for February 2.

    Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital since November 26, 2020, against the farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

  • New agri laws will undercut MSP procurement, Mandi system: Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: NCP president Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the new agriculture laws of the Union government will adversely impact the Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement and weaken the `Mandi’ system.

    As farmers’ agitation on Delhi borders against the contentious laws continues unabated, Pawar said in a series of tweets that the MSP mechanism should be strengthened further.

    The new farm laws curtail the powers of Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs or `Mandis’ in common parlance) regarding collection of levy and fees from private traders, dispute resolution, agri-trade licensing and regulation of e-trading,he said.

    “I am also concerned about the amended Essential Commodities Act,” the former Union agriculture minister said.

    Under the amended act, the government will intervene for price control only if rates of horticultural produce go up 100 percent and that of non-perishable items by 50 percent, he said.

    Stock-piling limits have been removed on food grains, pulses, onions, potatoes and oil seeds which can cause apprehension that corporates will purchase commodities at lower rates and sell them at higher prices to consumers, Pawar said.

    “During my tenure, draft APMC rules 2007 were framed for setting up special markets, thereby providing alternative platforms for farmers to market their commodities and utmost care was also taken to strengthen the existing mandisystem,” he said.

    Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

  • Three contentious farm laws will affect MSP, weaken mandi system: Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Raising concerns over the three new farm laws, NCP President Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the legislation will adversely affect the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and weaken the mandi system.

    Pawar said he virtually participated in the all-party meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which issues related to the proposed agenda for the Budget session, farmers’ agitation, women’s bill and other important issues were discussed.

    The farmers have been seeking repeal of three farm bills: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

    Pawar said the new laws will adversely impact the MSP procurement infrastructure thereby weakening the mandi system.

    MSP mechanism has to be ensured and strengthened further, he added.

    “Reform is a continuous process and no one would argue against the reforms in the APMCs or Mandi System, a positive argument on the same does not mean that it is done to weaken or demolish the system,” Pawar tweeted.

    “During my tenure, the draft APMC Rules – 2007 were framed for the setting up of special markets thereby providing alternate platforms for farmers to market their commodities and utmost care was also taken to strengthen the existing Mandi system,” he tweeted.

    Pawar, who served as Union Agriculture Minister from 2004-2014, said he was also concerned about the amended Essential Commodities Act.

    “According to the Act, the Govt will intervene for price control only if rates of horticultural produce are increased by 100 per cent and that of non perishable items increase by 50 per cent.

    “Stock piling limits have been removed on food grain, pulses, onion, potato, oilseeds etc.

    It may lead to apprehensions that Corporates may purchase commodities at lower rates and stock pile and sell at higher prices to consumers,” Pawar tweeted.

  • Governor has time for Kangana, but not farmers: Pawar hits out at Koshyari

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: NCP president and former Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Monday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not talking to the agitating farmers directly. 

    Addressing a march of farmers in Mumbai, the veteran leader said farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been protesting in Delhi’s chilling weather for last 60 days, yet the Prime Minister has no time to speak with them. 

    “Punjab is not Pakistan. They have protected our land. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana produce and supply ample food grains to us. Why the PM has no time to talk with them? Farmers want to repeal the farm laws but the government remains adamant,” he said.

    Taking a dig at Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who went to Goa on the day the farmers planned to meet him, Pawar said the governor has no time to meet the farmers, who walked to Mumbai in protest against the farm laws, but has time to meet actor Kangana Ranaut. 

    Pawar said a large number of farmers had come in Mumbai to press their demands and planned to submit a charter of demands to the governor.

    “But the governor has no time for farmers but he has all time for Kangna Ranaut. Farmers are in Mumbai and our governor is in Goa. This must be happening the first time in the history of independent India,” the senior politician said. 

    Ajit Nawale, a farmer leader and the secretary of All India Kisan Sabha, condemned the “arrogant” conduct of governor who “refused” to meet the farmers.

    “In protest, we tore down the charter that we had planned to submit to the governor. The farmers came to Mumbai from different parts of the state. Many of them walked down all the way. It is unfortunate that no one in the government cares for the farmers who are actually the real backbone of the economy,” Nawale said.

    However, an official statement from Maharashtra Raj Bhawan said they had already informed the farmer leaders that due to pre-scheduled appointments in Goa on Monday, the governor would not be available to meet them.

    Maharashtra Revenue Minister and state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, All India Kisan Sabha general secretary Hannan Mollah and others also addressed the rally held at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.

    You may pass any law undermining the Constitution, not keeping in with the reputation of Parliament and destroying the Parliamentary system on the back of your majority.

    But remember one thing, once the common man and farmers of the country rise, whether you withdraw the laws or not, they will not keep quiet until they destroy you and the law, Pawar said during the rally.

    Pawar alleged that the farm laws were passed without detailed discussion in Parliament despite the opposition parties demanding deliberations on the bills concerned.

    The bills could have been discussed by a select committee, but it did not happen, he said.

    “People (leaders from opposition) opposed it. But the laws were declared passed without discussion.This is the insult of the Constitution, he alleged.

    He said the farmers fight is not easy as those who are in power are not affectionate towards the protesters.

    Pawar hailed the farmers from Punjab for their contribution in the countrys freedom struggle and protecting it during the wars against China and Pakistan post- independence.

    Speaking at the rally, Thorat termed the farmers stir near Delhi as unprecedented.

    The farm laws are for capitalists, hoarders and profiteers.

    the laws were passed without discussion, the Maharashtra minister alleged.

    Thorat claimed there will be no MSP and market committees (APMCs) once the farm laws are implemented.

    The Congress leader said the Maharashtra government wants to pass laws which will be in the interest of farmers.

    No Shiv Sena leader or minister was seen at the rally, but the farmers’ bodies claimed the ruling party had extended its support to the agitation.

    The Shiv Sena heads the MVA government in which the Congress and the NCP are partners.

    The new agri laws seek to encourage private trade, contract farming and remove stock limit on foodgrains.

    The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Sharad Pawar attacks Modi govt, says farmers will ‘destroy’ new agri laws

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Centre may pass any law undermining the Constitution and on the back of its majority, but once the common man and farmers rise, they will not keep quiet until the new farm acts and the ruling party are destroyed, NCP president Sharad Pawar said on Monday.

    The former Union agriculture minister also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not enquiring about the condition of farmers agitating near Delhi borders against the Centre’s farm laws for two months now in cold weather.

    Addressing a rally organised here to express solidarity with the farmers agitating near Delhi, Pawar hit out at Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for heading to Goa at a time when peasants from the state were to submit a memorandum to the latter against the farm laws.

    Pawar said Koshyari, who holds the additional charge of Goa, had time to meet Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut after the BMC last year demolished parts of her office here, but has no time for farmers.

    MaharashtraRevenue Minister and state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, All India Kisan Sabha general secretary Hannan Mollah and others also addressed the rally held at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.

    You may pass any law undermining the Constitution, not keeping in with the reputation of Parliament and destroying the Parliamentary system on the back of your majority.

    But remember one thing, once the common man and farmers of the country rise, whether you withdraw the laws or not, they will not keep quiet until they destroy you and the laws, Pawar said during the rally.

    “It has been 60 days since the farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan are protesting near Delhi.

    Did the country’s PM enquire about (the farmers)? “It was mentioned that the farmers are from Punjab.

    Does Punjab mean Pakistan?” Pawar asked.

    The NCP patriarch alleged that the farm laws were passed without detailed discussion in Parliament despite opposition parties demanding deliberations on the bills concerned.

    The bills could have been discussed by a select committee, but that did not happen, he said. people (from opposition) opposed it.

    But the laws were declared passed without discussion, This is the insult of the Constitution, the Rajya Sabha MP said, hitting out at the BJP-led government at the Centre.

    Pawar said the leaders of farmers who attended the rally in Mumbai were to submit a memorandum to Koshyari.

    We have not seen such a Governor in the history of Maharashtra.

    Lakhs of people have come here.

    “They were to submit a memorandum to the Governor. But the Governor has gone to Goa. He has time to meet Kangana, but not my farmers,” Pawar alleged.

    The NCP leader said it was the moral responsibility of the Governor to meet farmers, but the latter did not discharge that duty.

    The new agri laws, enacted in September last year, seek to encourage private trade, contract farming and remove stock limit on foodgrains.

    The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

  • Thousands of farmers to reach Mumbai for January 25 rally against farm laws

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Thousands of farmers have left from various parts of Maharashtra to participate in a rally at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Monday against the Centre’s three new farm laws.

    The All India Kisan Sabha’s (AIKS) Maharashtra unit in a statement said around 15,000 farmers set out for the state capital from Nashik on Saturday in several tempos and other vehicles.

    On Monday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and some other prominent leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the state will address the rally, the release said.

    The state Congress unit, which is an ally of the MVA, has already extended its support to the protest.

    Farmers from various places gathered in Nashik and left from there on Saturday.

    Many peasants also joined them on the way, the AIKS said. They halted at Ghatandevi near Igatpuri hill town for overnight stay.

    ALSO READ: Protesting farmers assure ‘Kisan Gantantra Parade’ will be peaceful

    On Sunday morning, a number of peasants marched down the Kasara Ghat to head for Mumbai, while many left in vehicles.

    “The rally is being held to support and expand the two-month-long farmers’ struggle in Delhi for a repeal of the three farm laws and for a central law to guarantee a remunerative Minimum Support Price (MSP) and procurement all over the country,” the statement said.

    The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a pro-farmer body, has given a nationwide call for a struggle from January 23 to 26, including rallies to Raj Bhavans (governor houses) in states.

    Accordingly, over 100 organisations came together and formed the Samyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha (SSKM), Maharashtra, in a meeting held in Mumbai on January 12.

    The SSKM has called for a joint sit-inat the Azad Maidan in Mumbai from January 24 to 26.

    On January 25, there will be a public meeting at 11 am, the release said.

    ALSO READ | Farmers’ Republic Day tractor parade: Tableaux to depict protest against farm laws

    Besides NCP chief Pawar, state Congress president and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat, and Shiv Sena leader and state tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray will also address the rally, it said.

    Later, the protesters will march to the Raj Bhavan and submit a memorandum to Governor B S Koshyari.

    The main demands of the protesters include repeal of the three “anti-farmer” laws, and a central law guaranteeing remunernative MSP and procurement, the release said.

    The protesters have also decided to hoist the national flag at the Azad Maidan on the occasion of the Republic day on January 26, and take a pledge to make the struggle of peasants and workers successful, it added.

    Enacted in September last year, the three laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

    Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several border points of Delhi, demanding a repeal of the three farm laws.

    Multiple rounds of talks between the government and farmer unions have failed to break the impasse so far, while the Supreme Court has appointed a panel for resolution of the issue.

  • Farmers to hold protest rally over agri laws in Mumbai; Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray to attend

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: A large numbers of farmers left for Mumbai from Maharashtra’s Nashik district on Saturday for a rally to demand repealing of the Centre’s three new farm laws.

    The rally organised by Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha will be held in Mumbai on January 25, a statement issued by the organisation said.

    The rally will be addressed by former Union agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, state Congress president Balasaheb Thorat and Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray.

    A delegation will also present a memorandum to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the release said.

    Enacted in September last year, the three laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

    Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several border points of Delhi since November 28 last year, demanding a repeal of these laws.

    Multiple rounds of talks between the government and farmer unions have failed to break the impasse so far, while the Supreme Court has appointed a panel for resolution.