No consultations with farmers, SC should issue contempt notice to PM, says Congress

In a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday said that the Supreme Court should issue a notice of contempt against the Centre for filing a 'false' affidavit in the Supreme Court regarding the consultation with farmers and various stakeholders before passing the three contentious farm laws.

New Delhi: Congress party on Wednesday attacked the Central Government for filing a 'false' affidavit in the Supreme Court regarding the consultation with farmers and various stakeholders before passing the three contentious farm laws. It also demanded the Supreme Court to issue a notice of contempt to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

The remarks were made in view of the reply given by Ministry of Agriculture to a Right to Information (RTI), revealing that it possesses no records of any such consultations with various stakeholders regarding the farm laws.

While speaking to the media, Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "RTI revelations have now shockingly revealed that Modi Government misled the Supreme Court, by filing a false affidavit. Will the Supreme Court now take action against Narendra Singh Tomar and also Mr Modi? Will the SC take action against the affidavit and take suo moto note of the RTI revelation and issue a contempt notice to Prime Minister and Union Agriculture Minister?"

Further, the Congress spokesperson demanded, "This is the litmus test for SC now as it has been proved that the Modi government committed a fraud on the proceedings of SC. If there were consultations then why there is no such record present in RTI? Today on a holiday, let the SC constitution bench be constituted and the notice of contempt be issued to the Modi Government."

In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, on Monday, the Center had claimed that "serious, sincere and constructive efforts were made by the Central Government to engage with the limited number of protesting farmers who are opposing the Act".

The Congress leader also questioned the four-member committee formed by the Supreme Court to find a solution of the impasse between farmers and Center against the controversial farm laws.

Surjewala claimed, "The entire country had high hopes from the Supreme Court but the committee formed for discussions with the farmers is already in favour of the three laws. How can such members give justice to the farmers? Don't be so arrogant Modi ji. Listen to the farmers, otherwise, this country will stop listening to you."

Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also made a sarcastic remark over the matter, in his tweet, saying, "Farm ordinances are passed during lockdown. Parliamentary Committee is not allowed to examine Farm Bills. Rajya Sabha MPs are not allowed to vote after opposing. An 'expert' group that supports the laws is appointed through the Supreme Court to sanctify them. This is New India!"

Surjewala also slammed the Central Government for arguing in Court that "Khalistanis" have infiltrated the farmer's protests.

He said, "From the very first day, there have been constant attempts to disgrace the protesting farmers. Does this mean all the 62 crore farmers of our country are Khalistani? BJP ministers have called the farmers Naxals, anti-nationals, extremists and so on. They need to take one stand on farmers. But their attempt to disgrace the farmers will not get success this time."