Manoj Tiwari invites Kejriwal to his house, offers to clear his ‘doubts’ about farm laws

New Delhi, December 26

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Saturday invited Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to his residence here, offering to clear his "doubts" and explain to him benefits of the Centre's three farm laws.

Kejriwal, who is Aam Aadmi Party's convener, on Friday claimed that the new agricultural reform laws would not benefit farmers in any way and do a lot of harm.

Taking a dig at the Chief Minister, Tiwari said Kejriwal did not allow anyone to enter his house and refrained from meeting public representatives or extending invitations.

Recently, three mayors and other leaders of the BJP-ruled municipal corporations sat on a dharna outside the Chief Minister's residence for 13 days but he did not meet them.

Tiwari tweeted to Kejriwal, inviting the AAP convener to his official residence on Mother Teresa Crescent in Lutyen’s Delhi on Sunday 3 pm to explain the benefits of farm laws before media.

"Let’s do constructive politics for farmers' benefit," Tiwari said in his tweet.

Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party have come out strongly in support of protesting farmers. Earlier this month, the Chief Minister had visited Singhu border, one of the protest sites, and reviewed arrangements made for farmers by the city government  

"The BJP says that these laws will not harm farmers. But what is their benefit? They say that now the farmers will be able to sell their crop anywhere outside the market. But outside the market, the crop is sold at half the price. How is this a benefit? The truth is that these laws will do a lot of harm and don't have a single benefit," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi on Friday.

Tiwari, former Delhi BJP president, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday explained benefits of farm laws and senior leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and national president JP Nadda, had repeatedly assured that MSP and mandis would continue.

"Still, if Arvind Kejriwal cannot find any benefits in the three farm laws and has some doubts he may accept my invitation. I will be happy to help him see the benefits of the farm laws," Tiwari said.

Farmers from various parts of the country have been camping at different border points of Delhi for four weeks now to demand repeal of the three agri laws, which were voted through in Parliament in September amid strong protests by opposition parties.

The three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country. PTI