Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with farmers to allay their concerns related to the farm laws. PM Modi also released Rs 18,000 crore as next instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme to the farmers. The Prime Minister enabled the transfer of the amount through the push of a button.
Several central ministers, MPs, MLAs and BJP office bearers were 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 highlights of PM Modi's address:
Atal-ji was the sutradhaar (starting point) of all the farm reforms this government is taking out today.
Today, the money reaches directly into the accounts of the people. Today, more than ₹ 18,000 crore reached country's 9 crore people.
More than ₹ 1,10,000 have reached farmers since this scheme has started.
Under the same scheme, ₹ 18,000 were deposited in the accounts of these farmers. No cuts, no commission.
The farmers of Bengal have been deprived of the benefits of the Centre's schemes. Bengal is the only state which is not allowing benefits of the schemes to reach the farmers.
The same Bengal government that is opposing this benefit for the farmers, goes to Punjab and supports farm protest, why is the Opposition silent on this?
They are talking about APMC.. but there is no APMC in Kerala.. earlier, there was government that ruled country for 70 years (Congress) in Kerala.. then why was there no APMC. You have time to provoke Punjab farmers? First, bring APMC in Kerala.
They can't run away by saying "Kisano ka apmaan kiya". But the farmers have woken up now. They won't be misguided. These (Congress) are the people who have ruled the country till yesterday.
There are around 10 crore poor and small farmer in the country... no government ever worked for them. The governments used to come and go. They used to make false promises.
Last year, the farmers were given around ₹ 87,000 crore under Phasal Bima Yojana.
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.
We have taken more than 1,000 mandis online... the farmers have started selling in these mandis.
We have opened new agriculture institutions.
We have started working in improving the lives of people living in the villages. These are the farmers who are getting pakka makaan (Pucca Houses) and free electricity.
Friends, some people are worried about farmers' land. We have seen names of people who indulge in land fraud in newspaper. Where were these people when the farmers' lands were seized in absence of papers?
Dear farmer, after these laws, you can sell your produce anywhere. You can sell your produce to businessman.. you can.. you want to export your produce... you can... you want to sell your produce at the MSP.. you can.
If the farmers are getting these rights, what's wrong in that?
Some people are spreading false news that MSP will end and mandis will be shut. Have you seen any mandis getting closed down after these laws were enacted.
Agreement farming is there in many states, including Punjab. Earlier, there was a rule that farmers will be fined if there's breach of the agreement. We have ended this with new laws.
Under the new laws, the buyers have to give a receipt to farmers within 3 days.
We have to understand one more aspect of farm reforms: The one who will enter into an agreement with the farmers, would want best quality produce, so she will help the farmer if providing best quality products to the farmer.
The one who enters agreement with farmers, can't break the agreement, but the famer has the right to end the agreement.
Some political parties, rejected by the people in democratic manner, are firing from the farmers' shoulders.
They are now coming up with various issues now.. now these people are demanding release of riot accused.. they are demanding the removal of toll plazas.
We are ready to for talks.. there are leaders that don't even believe in democracy.. they have made unjust allegations on us... we are ready to talk to even these people.
