Farmers Movement Archive

'Andolan gave India freedom': Farm leaders slam PM Modi’s speech in Rajya Sabha

Protesters camped at the Capital’s borders against three new farm laws reiterated their demand that Minimum Support Prices (MSP) be legally guaranteed, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the Rajya Sabha sought to assure farmers that the procurement regime would continue to exist, and urged them to call off their agitation and continue discussions.Responding to the debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s address in the Rajya Sabha, Modi on Monday also spoke of people he termed “aandolanjeevis” (those who live off protests) and warned against the alleged influence of FDI (“foreign destructive ideology”)Farmer leaders condemned Modi’s statements, calling it an “insult of farmers”, and said they are ready for fresh talks, but with the condition that the “prime minister holds the meeting with the farmers”.“Farmers of this country respect the Constitution, the elected government and the PM’s rank and dignity. If the PM wants the next round of talks, we are ready for it. But we urge the PM that he should hold the meeting with us, understand the concerns of the farmers, and end this deadlock. Multiple rounds of meetings with the Union agriculture minister have yielded no results so far,” said Satnam Singh Sahni, general secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba group), at the Singhu border.Speaking in Rajya Sabha, Modi said the farm laws should be given a chance, while reiterating that MSP will continue and doubling down on the government’s commitment to modernise agricultural markets. “MSP was there. MSP is there. MSP will remain in the future,” the PM said.However, protesters and prominent farm leaders were unmoved by the assurances and demanded that the government ensure legal provisions to “protect farmers from businesspersons.”BKU (Tikait) faction national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said, “There are no laws now, so businesspersons loot farmers. Authorities have tried to taint the movement by various means. The movement is not led by political leaders, but farmers who demand the repeal of these laws. There will be no business over hunger, and this is what we are fighting against,” said Tikait, who has been leading the farmers’ agitation at Ghazipur border.A farmer from Punjab’s Moga Sadhu Singh said, “Nobody knowingly consumes poison. When we know that the new farm laws are poisonous, why is Modi ji asking us to consume it. We (farmers) know what is good for us and we are fighting for our rights. We will leave only when the laws are repealed”On Monday evening, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of the 40 farmers’ unions, issued a press statement, condemning the Prime Minister’s “aandolanjeevi” remark.“SKM condemns the insulting of farmers by prime minister. Farmers would like to remind the PM that it is andolans that have liberated India from colonial rulers, which is why we are proud to be aandolanjeevi,” the statement read.“The PM’s FDI approach is dangerous too, even as we distance ourselves from any Foreign Destructive Ideology,” the statement continued.“SKM stands with constructive democratic processes, which uphold basic human rights anywhere in the world and expects similar reciprocation from all likeminded citizens all over the world because “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” the farmer group said in their statement.Avtar Singh, another farmer leader from Uttarakhand camping at the Ghazipur border, said, “We had voted for this government for ‘acche din’ and jobs. But we got these laws in return. There was no need to pass these laws during the pandemic with no consultation and we will continue the agitation till the laws are repealed.”

Hindustan Times

09-02-2021

India