Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that farmers agitation began with concerns over the Minimum Support Price, but was then taken over by the people with a particular political ideology seeking release of those arrested on charges of violence and even opposing toll plazas.
Making an appeal to the farmers to not get misled, Mr. Modi, speaking at a programme to transfer money to the beneficiaries of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, said the political groups rejected by the people through democratic process were not allowing discussion on the matter and were firing from the shoulders of the farmers. He, however, reiterated the government’s offer for talks, saying that his government was ready to talk even with their staunch political opponents, but the talks could be held only within the realm of facts and issues.
In a scathing attack on the political opponents, Mr. Modi said the Opposition parties shedding tears for the farmers today did little for them when in power. “Those leading the agitation today, sat on the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report when they were in power,” he said. He added that despite the agitation, electorate had rejected those leading the movement in local elections in some parts of the country.
He said that people with a particular ideology, who ruined West Bengal, should first ensure setting up of mandis in Kerala where they were in power now and not mislead the Punjab farmers. He also accused the West Bengal government of blocking benefits of the Samman Nidhi Yojana to the farmers of the state for political reasons.
Mr. Modi said a lot of lies were being spread about the new laws. Some people were spreading rumours that mandis would close and Minimum Support Price would stop after new laws are implemented. “But not a single mandi has been shut after the new laws came into force. Farmers are already reaping benefits of these laws. The government is standing firmly with the farmers,” claimed Mr. Modi.
Allaying the fears of the farmers on the laws, Mr. Modi said the new laws gave freedom to the farmers to sell their produce at mandis or outside it. He said that laws favoured farmers more than the companies. “A farmer can repeal the contract, but not the company,” said Mr. Modi.
The Prime Minister also interacted with farmers from several states across the country, including Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa, to know their experience of the new farms laws and the various schemes launched by his government over the years. He said that rumours were being spread about the contract farming that the farmers would lose their land under it.
Mr. Modi transferred ₹18,000 crore directly into the bank accounts of nine crore farmers under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana to mark the birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, observed as Good Governance Day.