Shah talks of doubling farmer income as protests taint BJP image

With the Delhi protests painting the Modi government as being anti-farmers, Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Sunday sought to do an image makeover, asserting that doubling farmers’ income was the Centre’s biggest priority.

Shah, at an event in Kerakalmatti village in Bagalkore district in Karnataka, also defended the three farm legislations, which have triggered nationwide protests as the farmers believe the reforms would make them suffer as they serve the corporate’s interest.

किसानों की आय को दोगुना करना मोदी सरकार की सर्वोच्च प्राथमिकता है। 2013-14 में कांग्रेस का कृषि बजट ₹21,931 करोड़ था 2020-21 में मोदी जी ने इसको बढ़ाकर ₹1,34,399 करोड़ किया। पीएम किसान सम्मान निधि से मोदी सरकार ने ₹1,13,619करोड़ सीधे किसानों के खातों में डालने का काम किया है। pic.twitter.com/9sVS8UyLVN

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 17, 2021

Stating that the three central farm laws would ensure manifold hike in their earnings, Shah said that since coming to power, the Modi government had increased the budget for the farm sector and also the minimum support price (MSP) on various crops.

“I want to say that if there is any big priority of the Narendra Modi government it is to double the farmers income,” said the BJP number 2.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone and inauguration of farmer-friendly projects of the MRN group, headed by newly inducted Karnataka Minister Murugesh R Nirani, he listed out various programmes and initiatives of the Centre for the welfare of the farmers.

Related news | Farm laws: SC to hear pleas on Monday, Centre-farmers talks on Tuesday

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government in the state too has not left any stone unturned to work for the welfare of farmers, the Home Minister said.

Questioning the Congress as to why it could not take up measures like ₹6,000 cash support per year for farmers and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana insurance scheme among others, he said, it was because the party’s intentions were not right.

“The Modi government is dedicated to farmers. The three new laws that Modi government has brought in, which the Karnataka government has also passed…I want to congratulate Yediyurappa for it. Farmers’ income will increase multifold due to them,” said Shah.

His remarks came amid the continuing agitation by farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, on the borders of Delhi, demanding the repeal of the three laws. Farmers were not compelled anymore to sell their produce at one place and can get access to global and Indian markets for their crops, he added.

Shah also said that none had the courage to abrogate the provisions of Article 370 and Article 35A in Kashmir in the past 70 years. “You made Modi the Prime Minister and on August 5, 2019 he ended Article 370 and Article 35A from Kashmir and connected it with India permanently. Today elections have also happened there peacefully without shedding even a drop of blood and Kashmir has become ours permanently,” he added.

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The Union minister also addressed a public meeting in Belagavi to greet the BJP-backed
candidates who won the recent panchayat polls in Karnataka, where he sought to remind the people about the surgical strikes conducted after Uri and Pulwama attacks.

A determined government had responded fiercely to the terror attacks in Uri and Pulwama in Kashmir between 2014 and 2019, he said. “The BJP government had carried out surgical strikes inside Pakistan twice and eliminated terrorists there,” Shah said.

These strikes gave confidence to the public that the nation’s borders are safe because Modi is the Prime Minister and the country is ruled by the BJP, he said. Out of the total of 5,470 villages, party backed candidates won in 3,142 villages, he said.

Referring to the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive, launched nationwide on Saturday, he said both vaccines are safe and the exercise was being monitored personally by the prime minister himself.

(With inputs from agencies)