With folded hands, PM Modi urges opposition parties not to mislead farmers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday requested political parties with "folded hands" to keep all the credit for their "old election manifestos" which had reportedly promised agriculture sector reforms and urged them to stop misguiding the farmers over the new farm laws.

"I request all political parties with folded hands, please keep all the credit. I am giving credit to all your old election manifestos. I just want ease in the life of farmers, I want their progress and want modernity in agriculture," said PM Modi while addressing farmers at the 'Kisan Kalyan' event in Raisen through video conferencing.

"Political parties should stop misguiding farmers. It's been six to seven months since farm laws were implemented. But now suddenly, games are being played to plough one's own political land through a web of lies," he added.

The Prime Minister further said, those who have started this movement in the name of farmers, when they had a chance to run the government or become part of the government, what they did back then, the country needs to remember.

"Swaminathan Commission report is the biggest proof of how ruthless these people can be. These people sat on Swaminathan Commission report recommendations for 8 long years...They ensured that their govt doesn't have to spend much on farmers, so they kept the report under wraps," said PM Modi.

"Today, I want to bring their deeds in front of countrymen and farmers," PM Modi said.

"I assure every farmer of the country that like MSP was given earlier, it will continue to be given, MSP will not be ended. Those who could not give MSP to farmers, they are misleading farmers over MSP," he added.

In the new farm laws, Centre has only stated that whether the farmer sells his produce in the market or outside, it will be his will, PM Modi stated.

"The previous government had purchased about 1700 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from farmers in its five years. Our government has purchased 3000 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from farmers in its five years at MSP," he said.

"Another lie related to agricultural reforms is being spread about the APMC i.e. our mandis. What have we done in law? We have given the freedom to farmers in law, given them a new option," said PM Modi.

Not a single market has been closed after the new laws, the Prime Minister asserted.

"Then why is this lie being spread? The truth is that our government is spending more than 500 crore rupees on modernising APMC, computerisation of them. Then where did this thing about the closure of APMC come from?" asked PM Modi.

"Another big lie about new agricultural reforms is about the farming agreement. Is there anything new in the farming agreement in the country? No. The farming agreement has been in operation in our country for years," he added.

The Prime Minister assured that there is no reason for mistrust in the recent agricultural reforms we have done, there is no room for lies.

PM Narendra Modi's statement comes at the time when farmers have been protesting on different borders of the national capital since November 26 against three newly enacted farm laws- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.