A day after union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar welcomed National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's reported comments on amending the farm laws, Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik has clarified that Pawar was referring to the state's farm laws.
While speaking to ANI, Malik also accused the Centre of creating confusion about the leader's statements and said that all three parties of the Maha Vikas Aghadi--Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress-- opposed the Centre's laws.
"All three parties of the MVA government were against the Centre's new farm laws and are still against them. We will oppose the farm laws by passing a resolution against them in the Legislative Assembly," Nawab told ANI.
He added, "The central government is creating confusion about the statement of CCP president Sharad Pawar. He had come to meet some agricultural organizations and he said that agricultural laws in Maharashtra should be reformed. He did not speak about agricultural law at the centre."
On Friday, Tomar had told ANI, "I welcome the statement of ex-Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar where he said that all laws need not be changed. The clauses against which there is objection must be changed after deliberation. I welcome his stand. The Centre agrees with him, we want that matter be resolved at earliest."
He further emphasised that the Central government is ready to discuss all provisions of the farm laws except repealing them.
"The agriculture reform bill is going to bring revolutionary changes in the living standards of the farmers," he said.
Farmers have been protesting on the borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted 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.
Despite several rounds of talks between the Centre and farmer leaders, the impasse remains. The Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of farm laws in January this year.
( With inputs from ANI )
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