NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday defended his government’s three farm laws and reiterated that the minimum support price (MSP) for farmers’ produce "is there, was there and would remain in the future".
Replying to the motion of thanks on the President’s address in Rajya Sabha, the PM said everyone in Parliament talked about farmers’ protest but they did not speak on the reason behind the protest. He quoted former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh and said there was a need to keep the small farmers at the centre of our policies. “This would be the best tribute to him,” he said.
He said the farm loan waivers do not benefit the small farmers. “I would like to appreciate the contribution of (former PM) Deve Gowda in the discussions relating to agriculture in the house. His words have added great perspective to the debate. He himself has a strong association with the agriculture sector,” he said.
Modi said after 2014, the BJP-led NDA government expanded the scope of crop insurance to include the small farmers to keep them at the centre of all the policies and schemes. Every previous government has spoken of agricultural reforms and everyone agrees on the need for reform in agriculture.
However, he said he was shocked by the U-turn of many. “Politics is so prevalent that people forget their own views,” he said.
PM Modi also quoted his predecessor Manmohan Singh on agricultural reforms and told the Congress leaders that they should be proud of what he was doing..
He said apprehensions about something new were very normal. But there are problems in agriculture despite record production.
Modi exhorted all parties to come together to reform agriculture. He said Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar has been talking to the farmers. He also said protesting was the right of the farmers but asked them to take away the old people.
The PM asked the farmers to end their agitation and said the government was ready to talk to them and all options were open.
He took a dig at a section of habitual protesters and said a new jamaat of 'Andolanjeevi' has come up in India who are present in every protest. The country needs to identify them, he said.
He also warned all and said there was a need to save the country from new FDI - “Foreign destructive ideology”.
Modi exalted the Sikhs and their contribution in nation-building. “This country is proud of every Sikh. What have they not done for this country? Whatever respect we give them will always be less. I've been fortunate to spend crucial years of my life in Punjab. Language used by some for them and attempts to mislead them will never benefit nation,” he said.
He said this in reference to the protesters, most of whom are from Sikhs in Punjab and Haryana.
The Prime Minister informed that since 2014 the government has initiated changes in the agriculture sector aimed at empowering the farmer. The crop insurance scheme was changed to make it more farmer friendly. The PM-KISAN scheme was also brought in.
Modi stressed that the government was working for the small farmers. Farmers have got claims worth Rs 90,000 crore under PMFBY (PM Fasal Beema Yojana). Farmers also benefitted from Kisan Credit Card, Soil Health Card and Samman Nidhi.
When the road connectivity improves under PM Gramin Sadak Yojna, it enables the produce of the farmers to reach distant places. There are efforts like Kisan Rail and Kisan Udan too. The need of the hour is to improve the lives of the small farmers, said the Prime Minister. “Why should not they have the same freedom as the dairy sector to work with the private or cooperative sector?” he said.
Modi said problems of agriculture should be resolved and there is a need to work for this. On MSP, the Prime Minister reiterated, “MSP is there, MSP was there. MSP will remain in the future. Affordable ration for the poor will continue. Mandis will be modernised.”
He said there was a need to rise above political calculations for the welfare of the farmers. He cautioned against the forces who are trying to destabilise the country. He said, India is very proud of the contribution of Sikhs. “This is a community that has done so much for the nation. The words and blessings of the Guru Sahibs are precious.”
The Prime Minister also insisted that attempts should be made to bridge the urban-rural divide. The Prime Minister underlined the importance of the youth power and said that efforts to strengthen the youth will pay rich dividends for the bright future of the country.