 "SP fears BJP will bring back three farm laws after assembly polls")
The Samajwadi Party on Sunday expressed apprehension that the three contentious farm laws will be brought again after the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, citing the statements made by Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and BJP MP from Unnao Sakshi Maharaj on them.
The state Congress too slammed the BJP, saying the Centre is on the "backfoot" and that its "intention is malafide".
Both Mishra and Maharaj told reporters on Saturday that the laws could be brought again, if needed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday announced that the Centre would repeal the farm laws after the nearly year-long agitation by a section of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Farmer leaders said the protesters will stay put at border areas of Delhi until the Centre formally repeals the laws in parliament, and indicated that their stir for a statutory guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) and withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill will continue.
In a tweet in Hindi, the Samajwadi Party charged, "It is absolutely clear that their heart is not clean, and after the elections, the bills will be brought again. Occupying the constitutional posts, Governor of Rajasthan Kalraj Mishra and BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj have said that the BJP government may bring the bill for farm laws."
"This is the truth of those tendering false apologies to farmers. The farmers will bring a change in 2022," the SP said in the tweet.
Upping the ante against the BJP, general secretary of UP Congress Committee Sharad Misraa told PTI, "I am of the view that the Centre is on backfoot, and owing to the strength of the opposition and pressure of the farmers' protest, the government announced the repealing of the three farm laws.
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It was done unwillingly and the intention is malafide. There is every possibility that something will be done by the government to bring back the farm laws, may be in other forms. But, that will also be strongly opposed, he said.
Mishra on Saturday said in Bhadohi that efforts were made to make the farmers understand the provisions of the farm laws, and positive aspects, but the farmers were demanding the withdrawal of the three farm laws and were protesting against them. Eventually, the government felt that the laws be withdrawn, and if there was a need to make the laws again, it would be done, he said.
"The farmers were continuously demanding that the farm laws be withdrawn, and it was done in a very civilised manner. It is a good step and appropriate decision," Mishra said.
Speaking to reporters in Unnao on Saturday, BJP MP Maharaj said, "Bills are made and repealed. They will come again, and will be made again. It hardly takes any time (bills to bante rehte hai, bigarhte rehte hai...vaapas aajaayenge, dobaaraa ban jaayenge...koi der nahi lagtee hai).
But, I would thank Modiji that he displayed a big heart, and he chose the nation over the laws. And those whose intentions were wrong, those who had raised slogans of Pakistan zindaabaad and Khalistan zindabad, they have got a befitting reply, he said.
He also categorically stated that there is no connection between the announcement of repealing of the farm laws with the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections 2022.
"In the UP 2022 Assembly elections, the BJP will cross the 300 mark in the (403-member) UP Legislative Assembly. In India, there is no substitute of (Prime Minister) Modi and (UP Chief Minister) Yogi Adityanath. Their magic will stay," he said.