New Delhi: Even as the nation celebrated the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday (December 25) as the Good Governance Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to farmers through video conferencing, and released Rs 18,000 crore funds to 9 crore farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme.
Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to small and marginal farmers, payable in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
Placating the agitating farmers, the Prime Minister gave five big messages to them in his 52 minutes interaction and reiterated that MSP was, is, and will remain. He said that APMC mandis are not going to be closed, and added that farmers will get legal protection during the contract farming.
The Prime Minister also promised them that no one can grab their land, while squarely blaming those with political agenda for the deadlock in the government’s talks with protesting farmers. He said genuine apprehensions about the MSP guarantee have got overshadowed by unrelated issues such as the release of those accused of violence and making highways toll-free.
Strongly defending the three new farm laws, PM Modi said the Centre is willing to resume the dialogue on all farmers-related issues, even with those staunchly opposed to his government as long as the talks are based on issues, facts, and logic.
In his message, the Prime Minister also put across the opposition’s contradiction in front of the country and said that about 11 crore 40 lakh farmers of the country are registered under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, but 70 lakh farmers of West Bengal are not getting this benefit.
The Left party is demanding to save APMC mandi in the Kisan movement, but in Kerala, where they are heading the coalition government, the state has no APMC mandis, said the Prime Minister, who attacked the opposition’s anti-farmer policies and intentions.
Notably, PM Modi enabled the transfer of money at an event which the ruling BJP has made into a mega exercise to reach out to farmers by having its leaders including a battery of union ministers interact with the farming community at more than 19,000 venues across the country and also listen to the prime minister’s address.
The Prime Minister also held interaction with farmers from seven states–Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Haryana. He allayed fears that private firms might grab farmers’ land under a new contract farming law enacted by the Centre, and also listed the benefits of the farm laws.
PM Modi asserted that an overwhelming number of farmers across the country have welcomed the new laws and are already reaping the benefits. He also listed out the BJP’s victory in panchayat elections across states, in which farmers were the main voters and including in areas surrounding protest sites.
Referring to the farmers’ protests, PM Modi said farmers had some genuine apprehensions about new laws including on MSP guarantee when the agitation started, but soon people with political affiliations came in between and started firing from peasants’ shoulders to push their own and unrelated demands.
“MSP, etcetera were pushed aside, and now what is happening. They are demanding release from jail of those accused of violence… They want highways toll-free. Why have they shifted from farmer’s issues to new demands,” he said, adding “Despite that, farmers across the country have wholehearted welcome agriculture reforms I assure you that I will not let you down.”
Thousands of farmers are camping on various Delhi borders for almost a month to protest against the three farm laws. At least five rounds of formal talks have failed to break the deadlock with the farmer groups refusing to accept anything less than the complete repeal of the laws.
