PM Modi reaches out to farmers, asks BJP workers to bust lies on farm bills

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said there was a deliberate attempt to mislead farmers on the new farm bills, and asked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers to reach out to them and clear the air about the reforms.

In his address to BJP workers, Modi said small and marginal farmers, who comprise at least 86% of the farming community in India, would benefit most from the reforms undertaken by the union government, and added that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had made history by announcing the hike in minimum support price (MSP).

“BJP members and workers should reach out to farmers and explain to them the importance and intricacies of the new farm reforms. BJP members should inform farmers how the reform measures would empower them... party workers should bust the lies and rumours being spread in the virtual world," Modi said.

The BJP-NDA government had been making efforts to transform the lives of farmers and in the last few years had transferred over ₹1 lakh crore to over 10 crore farmers under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, he said, adding the union government was also providing KISAN credit cards to ensure that farmers get loans easily.

“In the past we have witnessed governments were formed in name of farmers and workers but they only got promises and laws. We have seen how hollow slogans were given in favour of farmers, labourers for many decades since Independence," the PM said.

"Governments in the past used to make complicated web of promises and laws which farmers or labourers could never understand. But BJP-led NDA government has constantly tried to change this situation and introduced reforms for



the welfare of farmers," he said

The PM's message comes amid protest by farmers in Punjab, Haryana and some parts of Uttar Pradesh with several farmer organisations calling for a nationwide strike against the farm bills that were recently passed in the monsoon session.

The BJP has come under pressure only from the opposition parties but also from its alliance member Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over the farm bills with senior leader of the party Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigning from the union cabinet during the monsoon session.

Modi additionally said it was a result of the advancement work done by the BJP-administered association and state governments that individuals hosted decided in favor of the get-together. "Individuals upheld BJP in 2019 general decisions as a result of its saying of country first. The witticism and conduct of each BJP karyakarta should likewise be in a state of harmony with our fantasy of a cutting edge and new India of 21st century while safeguarding our customary qualities and culture," he said.

The recent changes in the labour reforms would benefit at least 50 crore people, both in the organised and unorganised sector. He said the move would not only help in curbing corruption but would also create more opportunities for employment generation, Modi said.

“...there existed about 10,000 slabs of minimum wages for various sectors. After a lot of efforts, these have been reduced to 200 slabs. New labour reforms will transform the lives of our labour force. So far, only 30% of the workers had the coverage of minimum wage guarantee. Now, it will expand to all workers in the unorganised sector," the PM said.