Centre Wouldn't Have Decided to Repeal Farm Laws If There Were No Polls: Pawar

File image of NCP chief Sharad Pawar used for representative purposes.

(Photo: PTI)

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday, 24 November, alleged that the Union government would not have decided to repeal its three contentious farm laws, if there had been no elections scheduled at Uttar Pradesh and other states in the near future, news agency PTI reported.

On Friday, 19 November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the Centre would repeal the three farm laws, which are being strongly opposed by hundreds of farmers in the country since several months.

What Did the NCP Chief Say?

"There are elections in UP and other neighbouring states. As per our information, the people in power, when they visited the villages in some parts of these states, they got some different kind of reception from the locals. Considering this, they might have sensed the kind of treatment they will get when they go to seek votes. It seems that on that backdrop, this practical decision was taken," Pawar said, as per PTI.

He added that this decision would not have been taken had there been no elections at UP and its neighbouring states in the near future.

Pawar said this while talking to journalists at Satara district in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile...

Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday, 24 November, cleared 'The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021'– the draft legislation seeking to rescind the three contentious farm laws, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced their revocation on 19 November.

Giving the official brief for the Cabinet meeting, which took place on Wednesday, Union Minister Anurag Thakur stated:

"Today, the Union Cabinet led by PM completed formalities to repeal the three farm laws. During the upcoming session of the Parliament, it will be our priority to take back these three laws."

'Centre Has Taken Stand to Harass Non-BJP Ruled States Using its Agencies'

Regarding the action taken by Central agencies in Maharashtra, Pawar said it was nothing new. In West Bengal, he said there were six to seven ministers from Mamata Banerjee's government who were being harrassed by the Central agencies. Pawar added that in the next few days, he would be meeting the West Bengal CM in Mumbai.

He further added that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the Centre has taken a stand to harass non-BJP ruled states and the same, he said was happening in Maharashtra as well.

(With inputs from PTI)