New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with farmers from six states today to allay their concerns related to the farm laws against which thousands of farmers have been protesting near Delhi for nearly a month. "Some people are spreading myth and lies that land will be taken away if farmers enter into contract farming," PM Modi said, alluding to the opposition's attack that farmers won't benefit from the three new farm laws. PM also released Rs 18,000 crore as next instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme to the farmers.
Several central ministers, MPs, MLAs and BJP had been asked to be present among the electorate to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction with farmers on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Here are the top 5 quotes from PM Modi's address to farmers:
- Those rejected by electorate are now indulging in event management for publicity. People won't be misled by their politics. Mamata Banerjee government is playing politics by stopping benefits for their own farmers. They are not letting over 70 lakh state farmers benefit from centre's direct money transfer scheme.
- They are talking about APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) but there was no such committee in Kerala. Earlier, there was government that ruled country for 70 years (Congress) in Kerala. Why did they did not implement APMC?
- Farm reforms became necessary because poor farmers, who are over 80%, were getting poorer during rules of earlier governments.
- We are making life easier for farmers in villages. Those making big speeches today did nothing for farmers when they were in power.
- Our government tried to give better rates to the farmers.. we implemented the Swaminathan committee report. We raised the ambit of the MSP. These people who are now protesting were sitting on the Swaminathan committee report.