Cong suffering from 'ideological bankruptcy', says BJP on opposition's criticism of govt's agri package

Accusing the Congress of "ideological bankruptcy", the BJP on Friday said if it had better ideas than what the Central government is doing to help different sections of the society during the COVID-19 crisis, then it should have implemented those measures in the states where it is in power.

The Congress has no work except issuing statements and is doing politics even in this time of crisis, BJP's national media head and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni said in a statement.

The BJP's sharp attack came after the opposition party accused the Centre of being "insensitive" and "inhumane" towards farmers, and demanded that the prime minister and the finance minister apologise for neglecting them in the COVID-19 economic package.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also said, "the so-called Rs 20 lakh crore package" for offsetting the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be a "jumla package" and reflects the "voodoo economics" being followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hitting back, Baluni said it was the Congress which has become "insensitive" by indulging in making baseless comments to "mislead" people.

"The Congress should have offered constructive support to the government in this time. But the party seems to have become a victim to ideological bankruptcy and insensitivity as well," he said.

The steps announced by the government will empower farmers and make them financially stronger as well, he said, adding that Modi believes that India's welfare lies in the welfare of farmers.

In the third tranche of the COVID-19 economic package, the government on Friday announced a slew of measures for agriculture sector, including a Rs 1.63 lakh crore outlay, and amendment to the stringent Essential Commodities Act to remove cereals, edible oil, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potato from its purview.

Also, a new law will be framed to give farmers the option to choose the market where they want to sell their produce by removing inter-state trade barriers and providing e-trading of agriculture produce, the Union finance minister said while announcing the third tranche of the special economic package.