JAMMU, NOVEMBER 19: Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday welcomed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s decision to withdraw Farm laws with a heavy heart, saying it would have been better if this was done much earlier as many lives lost during dharnas by the farmers would have been saved.
““How much better it would have been that this was done when there had been discussions in Parliament on these bills and also in its subsequent three-four sessions, there had been dharnas and walkouts over the issue,’’ he said. All political parties were were unanimous in their demand for withdrawal of the Bills, he said, adding that he too as Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha had then said that “we make laws for the people and if there do not want this law then what is the purpose of enacting this legislastion’’.
“`I wish the Prime Minister and the BJP’s NDA government had taken this decision one or one and a half year ago, many lives lost due to cold, heat and illness during dharnas by lakhs of farmers on the borders of Delhi would have been saved,’’ he said. “““Had they taken this decision earlier, “it would have not only maintained the respect and dignity of the Parliament, but also saved large number of people including aged, youth, women and children from the hardships they faced during the period,’’ he said, adding that anyhow, “I welcome the decision, but with a heavy heart’’.
To a question that like Farm Laws, why political parties do not compel government to withdraw its decision on Article 370 and 35A, Azad said that one has to go by the will of the people in democracy and moreover, there was no controversy over the Farm Bills. “There may be number of Bills on which, some people may be for and some against them. This is bound to happen in democracy, but these particular bills were the one that nobody was in favour and everybody was opposed to them,’’ he said, adding that everybody, irrespective of religion, region and sections of society wanted these bills to be withdrawn and repealed’’.
To another question, Congress leader said that it is obvious that only elections have played a role in the government decision, but the good thing is that it has ultimately accepted to withdraw the bill. “However, I wish that this thing should have happened last year when parliament was in session and there were debates and walkout…when large number of people dies during dharnas on the roads during scorching heat and cold. It would have been much better, if this could have done much earlier,’’ he added.
He hoped that when the government has decided to repeal the Farm Laws, these will be placed before Parliament during the coming session and prior to it, the government will talk to the farmers to accommodate their demands, or remove their misgivings. If the government has decided to withdraw it then it withdraws it with a clear hear, he added.
Azad did not see “anything big’’ in his removal from the Congress disciplinary committee. Pointing out that he had been a member of the committee for five years during Rajiv Gandhi’s time and also for about a decade in the present one, he said that it meets only once in a year or two. “I don’t remember when the last disciplinary committee meeting was held,’’ he added.
When asked whether decisions in the party were not being taken in a democratic way, he said that there are some issues which are within the party and these need not be discussed through media and in public.