NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit out at the Centre over the three farm laws passed by Parliament and said that his party will throw them in the waste paper basket if it comes to power.
Addressing a public meeting in Badhni Kalan in Punjab’s Moga district, Gandhi asserted that the contentious laws would be revoked if the Congress was voted to power. He wondered what was the “hurry” and need to implement these legislations amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Prime Minister says the laws are being framed for farmers. If the laws are being made for farmers, then why didn’t you debate in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?” Gandhi asked.
“And if farmers are happy with these laws, then why are they agitating across the country? Why is every farmer of Punjab agitating,” he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Punjab CM Amarinder Singh at a tractor rally in Punjab
Gandhi assured the farmers that the Congress will scrap the “black laws” the day it comes to power.
“I give you guarantee that the day Congress party come to the power, we will scrap these three black laws and throw them in waste paper basket,” he said.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, who also addressed the rally, said there is no use for the Centre’s promises on MSP as long as the laws passed in Parliament are not amended to make it compulsory.
Farmers in Punjab have been protesting against the new farm legislations.
Farmers have expressed apprehension that the Centre’s farm reforms would pave the way for the dismantling of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporates.
The government has maintained that there will be no change in the MSP.
President Ram Nath Kovind had given assent to the three contentious bills – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill; and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill.
(With inputs from PTI)