Farmers Movement Archive

Opposition misleading farmers, govt willing to address concerns: PM

DHORDO (KUTCH): Even as agitating farmers demanding repeal of new farm laws remain unrelenting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a stinging attack on the opposition for ‘misleading’ the farmers and said that the same political parties that have now united to ‘confuse’ the agriculturists were in favour of ushering in these reforms when they were in power. “There is a large conspiracy by the opposition parties to provoke and mislead the farmers near Delhi and try to scare them that the new farm laws will result in their land being usurped. I reiterate that our government is ready 24 hours to clear all their doubts and concerns,” Modi said after laying the foundation stone for three big-ticket projects in Kutch. These projects include the world's largest hybrid renewable energy park, a desalination plant and a milk processing plant. The PM said demand for agriculture reforms was being voiced for years and several farmer organizations had also been demanding that they get an option to sell their grains anywhere as per their choice. “The same parties who are instigating the farmers were in favour of changing the archaic agriculture laws. But they only gave false hopes to farmers then and could not usher in the reforms. But today the opposition has united to mislead the farmers,” the PM said. “Does the dairy owner contracting milk purchase from you, ever take away your cattle? Does the person selling vegetables or fruits usurp land or property of the seller?” Modi asked. Citing an example of the dairy industry's massive contribution to India's total agriculture produce, Modi said this had become possible because of the freedom that the cattle breeders have got in their business. “Dairy industry accounts for 25% of India's total agriculture sector produce in value terms and it is about Rs eight lakh crores. This much more than the contribution of cereals and pulses," he said. “Today, the country is asking why the small and marginal farmers cannot be given similar freedom,” he said. Stating that the new farm laws have been brought in with utmost honest intention, Modi exuded confidence that the farmers will defeat all those elements who are trying to mislead them and playing politics by using them as a tool. From the very first day in the office, farmers' interest has been the top priority of the government. We have been constantly striving to see how the cost of farming can be reduced, farmers get new alternatives, their incomes rise and all their difficulties are eased,” the PM said. Giving example of Gujarat, he said the farmers, cattle breeders and fishermen here are much well-off now as compared to several years ago, mainly due to minimum interference of the state government in their business.

The Times of India

2020-12-16

Rajkot