"In order to bring prosperity to farmers, the government has made extensive reforms and brought the new farm laws. But those who did not like progress and development of the country and happiness on the face of the farmers are misleading and provoking them," Yogi Adityanath said.(Express File)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday once again attacked the Opposition parties accusing them of “inciting the farmers” against the three new farm laws brought by the BJP government at the Centre.
Speaking at an event to mark the 118th birth anniversary of farmer leader and former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh in Lucknow, Adityanath said the continuation of farmers’ protests despite the government’s attempts to clear their apprehensions on the new farm laws shows they are being “provoked and misled” by the Opposition.
“It is being said repeatedly said [by the Central government] that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) will not be abolished but farmers are still getting misled on this. It is being said again and again that the ‘mandis’ will not end. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has said mandis are being connected with technology, but farmers are being misled on this as well. What kind of politics is this?” Adityanath said.
“In order to bring prosperity to farmers, the government has made extensive reforms and brought the new farm laws. But those who did not like progress and development of the country and happiness on the face of the farmers are misleading and provoking them,” he said, adding that mandi fees have also been reduced to just 1 per cent.
Taking a dig at the Opposition, he said, “These (Opposition parties) will not allow things to be done in the interest of farmers. The government is working in a dedicated way for the farmers and after Independence, no government at the Centre, except the one led by the BJP, has brought so many schemes in the interest of farmers.”
Those who do not like progress of farmers or the development of the country are the ones inciting the farmers, the BJP leader added.
Adityanath said that the “revival of Ramala Sugar Mill” in Baghpat by his government was the true tribute to Charan Singh, alleging that people who do politics in the name of farmers become silent on their issues when they come to power.
“In former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh’s karma bhumi, Ramala mill was awaiting revival for the last 30 years. Our Government took the initiative to revive it and today the mill runs with the crushing capacity of 50,000 quintals of sugarcane per day… The government’s commitment is clearly visible on every occasion. In UP, about 16.5 per cent of the country’s population lives, but due to the hard work of farmers, this state contributes 21 per cent to the total food production of the country,” the Chief Minister, who earlier in the day garlanded a statue of Charan Singh, said.
Farmers at the Singhu border
“We already have four agricultural universities. Recently, a central agricultural university was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jhansi. At present, 89 Krishi Vigyan Kendras are working in the state with a resolve to double the income of farmers with the help of new concepts and new techniques,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi would send Rs 18,000 crore to the accounts of farmers as the next instalment of Kisan Samman Nidhi.
On the occasion, 11 farmers were given tractors under the “Mukhyamantri Kirshak Uphar Yojna”. Nine women farmers were also felicitated for their contribution in fisheries, banana tissue culture, vegetable production as well as agriculture diversification.
Farmers were also felicitated for excellence in agriculture including, while the first prize was of Rs 1 lakh, second was of Rs 75,000, the third prize was of 50,000. Farmers were also given assistance under “Mukhyamantri Kirshaak Durghatna Sahayata Yojna”
Meanwhile, the state government claimed that it would create a new record by providing most work under MNREGA. The government claimed that this year over 1 crore people got work under MNREGA.