Farmers Movement Archive

Let farm laws be implemented for a year; if not found beneficial, we will amend them: Rajnath Singh

Addressing a rally in Delhi, senior BJP leader and defence minister Rajnath Singh made an appeal to “let the farm laws be implemented for a year or so”, adding that the government will be ready to amend the laws if they are not beneficial to farmers.“Let the farm laws be implemented for year or so. If they are found to be not beneficial for farmers, we will be ready for necessary amendments,” Singh said. He made these comments at a rally in Delhi which is a part of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) efforts to combat the ongoing protest against the three contentious farms laws. The ruling party is conducting a nationwide outreach to the farmers on December 25, the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.Addressing a rally at Dwarka in the national capital, Singh said he himself is a farmers’ son and assured that the Modi government “will never do anything which is not in the interest of the farmers”.Describing the protesting farmers as his own people, Singh said, “Those who are sitting on dharna are farmers and are born to farmers’ families. We have lot of respect for them.”Underlining that all problems can be resolved through dialogue, Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants talks with farmers to continue, and therefore, the government has extended an invitation to them. Singh also said that the government is taking every step in the interest of the farmers. “Our government will never do anything which is not in interest of farmers. Those who are on dharna are farmers, born to farmers’ families; we have lot of respect for them.”Talking about minimum support price, Singh said, “There has been misconception that minimum support price will end. Prime Minister has said & I’ll also give my word that MSP won’t end.”Prime Minister Narendra Modi also virtually addressed farmers across states on Friday and released the next batch of financial aid Rs 18,000 crore from the PM-Kisan scheme. Farmers are protesting on the borders of Delhi against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (with agency inputs)

Hindustan Times

25-12-2020

India