ALIRAJPUR: State farmer welfare and agricultural development minister Kamal Patel, who is on Narmada Parikrama, on Monday challenged opposition in the state and said that the government was ready for debate on any issue, including agriculture law.
Patel also backed Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s announcement of making Madhya Pradesh a liquor-free state. Patel was in Alirajpur on Monday.
Replying media queries on three farm laws and ongoing farmers agitation in the state, Patel challenged the opposition on agricultural law.
In democracy, everyone has the right to protest, there is nothing wrong in it. “But when we ask the opposition about shortcomings in the laws and inform us about three black laws, they say that they don’t know. Our high command has said that farm laws are black laws,” he said.
"I still challenge the opposition to let the farmers decide," he added.
On liquor ban in state, Patel said that alcohol or any other intoxicants leads to family dispute and other destruction. Therefore, alcohol must be stopped, but only after an alternative arrangement is made.
He admitted that it was a major source of income for government, but the government was looking for an alternative to the income from alcohol. “Our government will have campaign against drug addiction,” he said.
Narrating government’s problem, Patel said that liquor business was a big source of income and no government wanted to lose it.
“Every year government has to pay Rs 72,000 crore to government employees as salary only. We can’t impose new taxes on the people and we have to consider this as well,“ Patel added.
