Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday that protesting farmers must distance themselves from those clinging to them for a “political resurgence.” In an interview for News18, Sitharaman lashed out at the opposition, saying that farmers are being used for political gain.
“The opposition is playing politics on the agitation of farmers. The agitation has been hijacked by anti-national forces,” he said.
Peasant leaders protesting for 17 days on the Delhi borders rejected the government’s proposal to amend three controversial farm laws and announced that they would intensify their agitation if the laws are not repealed. Farmers’ unions have threatened to block the Jaipur-Delhi and Delhi-Agra highways, and said they will escalate the protest to a national unrest on December 14.
Farmers have been protesting since late last month over reforms enacted in September that relaxed rules on the sale, price and storage of farm products that had protected farmers from an unfettered free market for decades.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured farmers on Saturday that reforms in the agrarian sector were aimed at helping them and helping attract investment in agriculture. But farmers fear that the new legislation will eventually dismantle regulated markets and prevent the government from buying their products at guaranteed prices, leaving them at the mercy of private buyers.
Talks between the leaders of farmers’ unions and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar have failed to break the deadlock with farmers demanding a complete rollback of reforms. The sixth meeting between the two parties was scheduled for Wednesday, but was canceled.
Speaking to News18, Sitharaman said the government has always been ready for more dialogue, but expressed fear that issues related to agriculture have been relegated to the background in the ongoing protests.
“The problems related to agriculture and farmers are not expressed now in the protests. There are demands to release anti-national elements. Disgruntled elements are involved in hijacking farmers’ protests, ”he said.
On the farmers’ demand to reverse the laws, the Finance Minister said: “The negotiations are a time-consuming process. I am not worried about how long it takes. Union ministers Narendra Tomar and Piyush Goyal are there to resolve farmers’ problems through dialogue. Reversing is not for the greater good. “
“We have not stopped talking to them and they are welcome to come and talk to us as farmers. Issues have been raised that are not part of agriculture concerns … My request to farmers is to sit down with ministers to dialogue and Solve the problems. “
Attacking the opposition Congress, Sitharaman said: “Congress failed to deliver on its promise to grant loan waivers to farmers. They should not be trusted. The hypocrisy of Congress has been exposed. “
Sitharaman also reiterated the government’s farmers’ welfare plans, saying that Modi’s dispensation is in favor of farmers. “There has been a record MSP under the leadership of PM Modi. The Center has made large acquisitions. Peak acquisitions are happening now. PM Modi is committed to doubling farmers’ incomes,” he added.
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