NEW DELHI: Protests by agricultural unions on Friday caused strong objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s accusation that political rivals were misusing farmers protest to push your schedule.
“Parties rejected by the electorate are pushing their political agenda by cheating farmers and using their shoulders to shoot the government, as they lack any logical argument against the new farm laws “, PM Modi he said today after releasing more than 18,000 crore rupees to more than nine crore farming families under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi’ (PM-KISAN).
“Defeated in the elections, these parties are now allowing themselves to manage events for selfies and appear on television for advertising,” he added.
The prime minister took aim at the opposition, saying that when the unrest started, farmers had some genuine demands, such as a guaranteed minimum price of support, but politically motivated people took over and started making unrelated demands, such as the release of those accused of violence and making the roads free.
Agricultural leaders, however, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech appeared as an attempt to “divide and deceive” farmers and said they want a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP).
Reacting to the prime minister’s accusations that political rivals were misusing the protest to further his agenda, peasant leader Abhimanyu Kohar said the unions do not allow any political party to use their stage and accused the government of diverting the topic.
Kohar said: “The premier’s claim that we are being misled by other political parties is false. It has been a month since we have been protesting on the Delhi borders, and we have not offered our platform to any politicians.”
“In fact, we have prohibited them from using our stage. Our protest is not political.”
“In public speeches, the Prime Minister said that the MSP will remain. So why is it afraid to give a legal guarantee? Why can’t the government give it in writing?” Shiv Kumar Kakka, a senior leader from Sankyut Kisan Morcha – – a body that groups 40 farmers’ unions – told the PTI news agency.
“Prime Minister Modi tried to divide and deceive farmers during his speech today … at the election rallies, he says his government has fixed the MSP according to the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee of MS. But in court, they say no it was possible to do so, “Kakka alleged.
All of India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee secretary Avik Saha sought to know why the central government does not provide a legal guarantee on the MSP.
Saha said the prime minister on Friday only addressed farmers in six states and wondered why he did not address the problems of protesting farmers.
Avtar Singh Mehma, State Press Secretary, Krantikari Kisan Union (Punjab), alleged that the government’s claim that some farmers support the three laws is “false.”
“We had targeted political parties like Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal, and the AAP before coming to Delhi. So how can these political parties go wrong?” Asked Mehma.
Enacted in September, the three agricultural laws have been projected by the Center as major reforms in the agricultural sector that will eliminate intermediaries and allow farmers to sell their products anywhere in the country.
However, protesting farmers have expressed fear that the new laws would pave the way to remove the MSP’s safety cushion and end the “mandi” (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of large corporations.
Center does not want to solve farmers’ problems: Congress
Congress claimed that the government did not want to solve the farmers’ problem and was trying to “wear them out.”
“The whole country heard Prime Minister Modi’s clarification on television today. They say the greater the crime, the greater the clarification and the prime minister is just doing that, ”Surjewala said, stating that the prime minister and his ministers are only giving“ clarifications ”without analyzing the plight of farmers.
“For a month, farmers protest near the borders of Delhi in this cold climate. Forty-four of them have already died for various reasons, but the pro-capitalist government is not moving, “Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters on Friday.
“The Prime Minister and the BJP the government is working on the policy of wearing them down. The bitter truth is that the Modi government does not want to solve the problem of farmers, “he said.
Surjewala said ruling party leaders are calling the farmers “naxals, terrorists, Chinese and Pakistani agents, tukde-tukde gang.”
Congress stands shoulder to shoulder with farmers as it involves the issue of the lives and livelihoods of millions of farmers in this country, he said.
“This is not a political fight, it is not the BJP’s fight against Congress, it is not the opposition’s fight against the ruling party,” he said.
(With contributions from the agency)
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