Modi hails new laws, accuses Oppn for protests by farmers

Even as cries of farmers against the proposed agriculture-related laws rent the air during protests across India on Friday (September 25), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that for the first time in decades, the Centre has framed laws that will benefit farmers and workers.

The prime minister, addressing BJP leaders on the 104th birth anniversary of BJP idealogue Deendayal Upadhyay, attacked the Opposition for “misleading” the farmers and “using their shoulders to fire” at his government over the agriculture bills for selfish political interests.

Launching a powerful defence of farm as well as labour bills, Modi said the reforms brought in the agriculture sector will benefit the small and marginal farmers the most as 85 out of 100 farmers fall in this category.

The three farm bills –the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020– and the labour bills were passed by Parliament during the recent monsoon session.

Modi slammed the Opposition parties, saying many governments came to power in states and at the Centre over decades in the name of farmers and workers, “but what did they get nothing; just a web of promises that neither the farmers understood nor the workers.”

“The farmers were entwined in laws that prevented them from selling their produce at prices that they wanted; consequently, even though the produce went up their income did not go up,” he said, adding those who always “lied” to farmers are now “shooting from their shoulders” and misleading them.

Asserting that small and marginal farmers are “happiest today”, the prime minister said, “For the first time, they have got an alternative to bargain for the price of their produce. The tradition earlier was to sell in mandis. If he thinks he will benefit by selling there, he will sell there. If he thinks the benefit is more outside, he will sell outside.”

The Opposition, farmers and many farmer organisations have been protesting against the proposed reforms in farm sector, dubbing the measures as “anti-farmers”. The farmers held protests on Friday under the banner of various farmers’ associations across the country.

With Punjab witnessing most protests from a section of farmers, regional party Shiromani Akali Dal, a BJP ally, has come out against the bills and its lone member in Union Cabinet, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, has quit her post in an expression of solidarity with farmers.

During his address, Modi gave a call to BJP members to fan out across the villages to bust propaganda of its rivals by explaining the importance of the agriculture reforms in simple language to farmers and how they will make their future brighter.

Related news: Modi says previous govts gave only hollow slogans to farmers

Our ground connection will bust the propaganda being spread in the virtual world, he said, stating that saving the farmers from such “rumours” explaining them the importance and benefits of the agriculture reforms is the duty of all party workers.

Modi said farmers were so far unable to sell their produce as they wished for decades and, consequently, their income did not grow despite the rise in farm productivity. The workers too faced the same situation, added the prime minister.

“The BJP-led NDA government has constantly tried to change this situation. MSP for crops was fixed at 1.5 times of the input cost. A record hike was effected in MSP and government procurement also hit a record high. Under the Kisan Samman Sidhi, over ₹1 lakh crore has been transferred to bank accounts of over one crore farmers,” he said.

Speaking of the working class, he said his government has brought labour codes to bring workers out of the complex web of dozens of laws. Modi said more than 50 crore workers employed in organised and unorganised sectors will benefit from these reforms, with fixed income and other, including health benefits.

So far, only 30 per cent of workers had the coverage of minimum wage guarantee, and it will now expand to all workers in the unorganised sector, said Modi. Woman workers have been empowered and given equality by these proposed laws, as they didn’t get equal rights earlier, he said.

The views of Upadhyay, who propounded BJP’s founding ideologies of integral humanism and antyodaya (uplifting the last man in queue), are reflected in his governments welfare works, he said.

In his speech, Modi also lauded the BJP workers for their “flexibility and adaptability”, and helping people extensively during the pandemic and said that they’ve found a place in the poor’s heart with their welfare works.

“Our remarks, ideas and conduct should be in line with the expectation and aspiration of 21st century India,” he said, and asked party workers to follow coronavirus guidelines and encourage others to do so as well.

Modi further said that his government has been very clear that it should not excessively interfere in lives of those who don’t need the government much, as he noted the faceless appeal system for taxpayers has come into effect on Upadhyay’s birth anniversary.

Asserting that “nation-first” is the BJP’s mantra, he noted as to how promises made by the party have been fulfilled and referred to decisions like scrapping Article 370 that had given Jammu and Kashmir special rights, and beginning of Ram temple construction in Ayodhya.

He also asked BJP cadres to promote local products and spread awareness about the National Education Policy.