Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday strongly defended the new farm laws more than which a section of farmer neighborhood has been protesting at the national capital borders for a month, and asserted the new pieces of legislation would unshackle Indian agriculture and allow ‘Brand India’ to establish itself in the international agricultural markets.
“We have given the best alternatives to farmers to sell their crops through these laws. What is wrong if farmers have so many options (to sell their produce)? Some are spreading the canard that the existing mandis will be closed. Have you heard of closure of any mandi in a any place?” he asked. He also highlighted that the Centre has bought record quantity of grain immediately after these laws came into force.
Interacting practically with farmers from seven states on the occasion of release of the third instalment of cash transfers beneath the PM-Kisan earnings-help scheme, Modi stated: “Some parties pushing their political agenda by opposing the new farm laws. Some people are spreading the lie that farmers’ lands will be taken away if they enter into contract farming agreements.”
Meanwhile, farmer unions will meet on Saturday to make a decision how and when they will respond to the Centre’s most up-to-date present for talks to resolve the stand-off. The government had earlier written to agitating farmer organisations, indicating, for the initial time, its readiness to go over giving a legal backing to the minimum help price tag (MSP).
The agriculture ministry wrote: “Raising a new demand (statutory MSP) and its inclusion in the talks does not look logical. Still, the government is ready to discuss all issues raised by you”.
While it is not instantly clear what the government has on its thoughts, a legal MSP (which potentially suggests the government will have to pitch in, if and when private purchasers of crops do not spend the MSP to farmers), if implemented, could jack up the government’s subsidy price range to astronomical levels.
In view of the ongoing farmers’ protest, the Centre has produced elaborate arrangements to attain out to farmers across the nation by roping in elected representatives of the BJP to organise public gatherings exactly where persons could watch the message of the Prime Minister. Some 8.02 crore farmers had registered to listen to Modi’s address, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated.
After interacting with seven farmers from Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, Modi traced the existing reforms to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure and stated these laws have opened more choices for the farmers to sell their crops by way of FPOs, to exporters or on-line platforms.
In the existing paddy procurement season (October-September), the government has purchased more than 436 lakh tonne of the cereal till December 23, up by 24% from the year-ago period. At 203 lakh tonne, Punjab has contributed more than 46% to the paddy bought for the Central pool.
Citing the instance of persons currently receiving added benefits from the laws by getting payment in time to contracting to sell crops at greater costs, Modi also assured farmers that there was no worry of anybody taking more than farmers’ land for the reason that of the contract. He asked a farmer of Uttar Pradesh, who has entered into contract with a enterprise, whether or not there was any worry about losing the agricultural land to which the farmer replied in the unfavorable.
Modi also stressed that the purchaser would have to spend even in case of harm to the crops after he entered into a contract with a farmer. Modi also took the chance to take a snipe at each Mamata Banerjee and the Left parties, offered the context of the Assembly polls in West Bengal and Kerala, slated for March-April subsequent year. He stated the (Left) parties did not protest against Mamata on the concern of the state’s refusal to implement PM-Kisan, which could have benefited an estimated 70 lakh farmers. He also asked them why they (Left parties) are not opening APMC mandis in Kerala if that was so great as they claim and about which they are concerned about in Punjab.
“You would have seen that when the agitation started their demand was about MSP guarantee. They had genuine issues. But then those with political ideology took over,” Modi stated. “MSP etc were pushed aside and now what is happening? They are demanding release from jail of those accused of violence…They want highways toll-free. Why have they shifted from farmer’s issues to new demands?” he asked.
Even as Modi took on the Opposition, a day immediately after the Congress met the President looking for repeal of the 3 farm laws, his colleague, defence minister Rajnath Singh, attempted to placate the protesting farmers by addressing them as “his own” persons. Addressing a rally at Dwarka in the national capital, Singh stated: “Those who are sitting on dharna are farmers and are born to farmers’ families. We have a lot of respect for them…Let farm laws be implemented for a year or two. Let’s try this as an experiment, and if found not beneficial for farmers, the government will be ready for all possible amendments.”
Separately, property minister Amit Shah asserted that no corporate can snatch away any farmer’s land as lengthy as Modi is the PM and the provision of MSP will continue although mandis will not be shut down. Addressing a gathering in Kishangarh village in the national capital, Shah stated if farmer organisations felt that any provision of the 3 new farm laws is against their interests, the government was prepared to go over and take into consideration the very same with an open thoughts.