Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday stated the government’s willingness to amend the farm laws need to not be construed as a realisation that the laws are flawed, and added that the ongoing more than two-month-extended agitation is not a nationwide one but restricted to just one state (Punjab).
In a speech in the Rajya Sabha, the content and tone of which signalled the government is in no mood to accede to the agitating farmers’ demand for repeal of the laws, the minister stated: “We have not uttered a single objectionable word against them (protesting farmers). We have considered their views with respect and sensitivity. We have asked them to point out the provisions to which they have objections. People in one state (Punjab) are victims of misconception…they are being misled to believe that these laws will take away their rights over agricultural land.”
Tomar challenged the Opposition to point out any provision in the law on contracts farming that enables ‘snatching away’ the farmers’ land rights by traders.
The Supreme Court final month stayed the implementation of the 3 farm laws and appointed a committee of specialists to submit a report soon after speaking to all the stakeholders. Still, the agitating farmers have decided to continue with the stir demanding repeal of the laws.
They also rejected the Centre’s present to continue the discussion soon after accepting the government’s proposal to withhold the laws for 12-18 months.
Even soon after the violence throughout the Republic Day tractor rally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 30 had stated the Centre’s present to place on hold the 3 agriculture-marketing and advertising laws for 12-18 months nevertheless holds. However, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (United Farmers’ Front) have decided to continue the agitation and have named a 3-hour “chakka jam” (website traffic blockade) on highways on Saturday.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha has also stated there can be no formal talks with the government till the police and administration’s ‘harassment’ of the farmers is instantly stopped. It has demanded restoration of world wide web services and unconditional release of farmers amongst other circumstances for the resumption of the dialogue.
Taking on the Opposition in the Upper House, Tomar stated the Narendra Modi-led government is committed to welfare of farmers and to the continuation of the mandi program of procurement of crops on minimum assistance cost (MSP) based mechanism.
Without naming Punjab, exactly where the mandi tax/cess is the highest in the nation at 6%, the minister stated: “The agitation should have been against the tax levied (by state government) on sale made in APMC-run mandis, but strangely the protests are against the Centre which removed such taxes through the farm laws.”
Tomar also described how distinct schemes of the government have benefited the farmers to assist obtain the objective of doubling their revenue by 2022.
When Anand Sharma of the Congress urged the minister to raise the budgetary allocation for PM-Kisan for FY22 – which is reduce than the FY21 level by Rs 10,000 crore — Tomar stated funds will not be a challenge if more farmers are registered.
So far, only 10.75 crore farmers have been registered below the scheme in spite of very best efforts of the government, even as the target is to cover as several as 14 crore land-owning farmers. The Centre straight transfers Rs 6,000/year in 3 equal instalments into the bank accounts of PM-Kisan beneficiaries.
Earlier the day, a variety of Opposition parties such as Shiv Sena, Shiromani Akali Dal, Nantionalist Congress Party (NCP), Samajwadi Party and the Left parties demanded in the Rajya Sabha that the 3 new farm laws be repealed and fresh ones brought soon after wider consultations. Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, the Opposition MPs attacked the government for dubbing the farmers protesting against the farm laws as “anti-nationals” and for “defaming” their agitation.