Prime Minister Narendra Modi, strongly advocating farm legislation that sparked major protests near Delhi, said today that he was ready “with folded hands” to address any problem with farmers and allay their fears. He also said that any discussion about new laws abolishing the MSP or the Minimum Crop Support Price “is the biggest lie ever”
“if anyone has any concerns, then with our heads bowed and our hands folded, with humility, we are willing to discuss with them and assuage their fears,” PM Modi said, addressing farmers in Madhya Pradesh via video as part of the government’s redoubled efforts to reach out to farmers.
The Prime Minister also said though agricultural reforms were discussed for over two decades by every government, the opposition was misleading farmers.
“These laws were not brought in overnight. In past 22 years, every government, state has discussed these in detail. Farmer groups, agricultural experts, economists, scientists and progressive farmers, have called for reforms. Parties opposing these laws today promised these reforms in their manifestos,” said the PM.
“These parties are pained today. They are asking themselves how Modi could achieve what they couldn’t do in all this time. They are worried Modi will get credit. My reply to them is – you keep the credit. I don’t want credit. I only want farmers’ lives to improve. Stop misleading farmers.”
In several of his recent speeches, the Prime Minister has followed the farmers’ crisis and tried to justify that the laws brought by his government are for their benefit. But today, in the midst of protests on highways near Delhi by thousands of farmers, he addressed the farmers directly as part of the government’s major outreach. Many of the senior ministers are part of this outreach.
Emphasizing the need for change, PM Modi said that Indian farmers must not lag behind the world in facilities.
Today I want to expose those who have absolutely no care or genuine concern for you – our anna-daata (farmers). I want to caution all those who are being misled and instigated in the name of these farm laws,” the Prime Minister said.