PM again assures farmers, slams Opposition

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 15

Amid the ongoing farmers’ protest at Delhi borders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reiterated that the three laws “have been rolled out keeping in mind farmers’ interests”. He slammed opposition parties for “misleading and instigating them”.

Speaking in Gujarat where he unveiled several projects, Modi questioned: “Can any dairy owner who enters into a contract with a dairy farmer for buying milk take away his buffalo?”

Assuring that farmers’ land will remain safe, the PM said the laws would benefit all, including small and marginal farmers who would have the freedom to sell their produce to anyone they want.

“Opposition leaders are misleading the farmers for narrow political gains,” he alleged, adding that the government was working round the clock to resolve the issue.

The PM claimed that the agriculture reforms were exactly what farmer bodies and even opposition parties had been asking for years.

Meanwhile hardening their stance, farm leaders said they “will make the government repeal these laws”. They asserted that their fight had reached a stage where they were “determined to win it”. They accused the government of trying to divide them using issues like SYL and called Agriculture Minister’s meetings with “select unions a divisive tactic”.

Union leaders said on one hand, the PM was giving assurance to the farmers and on the other he was asking corporates to invest in agriculture sector. “How else will you interpret his speech at FICCI two days back?” questioned BKU leader Yudhvir Singh.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday met members of the BKU (Kisan) from UP who “welcomed” the Acts. Tomar told them that the government was willing to continue dialogue with genuine farm unions to find a solution with an open mind.