'Hypocrisy': Tharoor, Javadekar clash over old tweet on farm laws
Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday accused the Congress of hypocrisy over agri reforms, sharing an old tweet of Congress's Shashi Tharoor in which he had underlined the need of private sector's engagement in the storage of grains.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday accused the Congress of hypocrisy over agri reforms, sharing an old tweet of Congress’s Shashi Tharoor in which he had underlined the need of private sector’s engagement in the storage of grains.
In response, Tharoor asked the minister to stop broadcasting “misinformation.”
Tharoor’s old tweet — dated January 23, 2010 which was shared by Javadekar — read: “It seems we waste more wheat every year 2storage &distribution losses than Australia grows. Real need for pvt sector 2move into grain storage. (sic)”
Sharing the old tweet, Javadekar said, “Another exposition of Congress’ hypocrisy on #FarmLaws. Here is a tweet by @ShashiTharoor in 2010… And now #Congress thinks exactly the opposite. (sic)”
Tharoor quickly responded to the accusation and pointed out that his 2010 tweet nowhere mentions anything about removing minimum support price (MSP) or amend the Essential Commodities Act (ECA).
“Prakash-bhai, Does my tweet mention or imply anything about removing MSP or amending ECA to allow hoarding? Or aren’t you aware of farmers’ demands?” he asked.
He went on to accuse the minister of spreading misinformation. “Surely it’d be better for a Minister of Information & Broadcasting to stop Broadcasting Misinformation this way,” said the Thiruvananthapuram MP.
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The two national parties — Congress and BJP —Â had been at loggerheads over the three agri bills that the former claims were passed hastily in Parliament without proper debate. The new laws have triggered massive protests including the ones raging since November 2020, at different Delhi borders.
Earlier too, the BJP had accused the Opposition parties of “double standards” after they had dug out an old letter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, in which he had during 2010-11 suggested chief ministers to amend the APMC Act to pave way for private players. Pawar was then the Union agriculture minister. NCP later clarified Pawar was trying to build a consensus and the party does not support the current laws passed by Modi government.
