PM addresses Kisan Sammelan as part of BJP’s nationwide campaign to reach out to opponents of farm laws
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – As the farmers’ agitation against the contentious farm laws entered the 23rd day on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to reach out to farmers directly. He used expressions like “folded hands” and “heads bowed” to placate them.
He addressed the farmers in Madhya Pradesh through video conferencing at a state-level Kisan Sammelan (farmers’ conference), organised in Raisen district. “If anyone has any concerns, then with our heads bowed, our hands folded, with humility, we are willing to allay their fears,” Modi said.
His speech comes a day after nearly a thousand farmers embarked on a foot march from Morena in Madhya Pradesh to join protesting farmers at the Delhi-Haryana Singhu border.
He put all the blame for “spreading confusion” over the new farm laws on the Opposition, especially the Congress. Farmers are being misled by false information on MSP, APMC and the farming agreement, he said and reiterated that MSP would remain.
He said these laws were not brought overnight, but parties, experts, progressive farmers had long demanded the reforms. “There were demands for the reforms from parties, experts, progressive farmers for many years. The previous governments had made promises to the farmers but never delivered. They are upset because what they had only talked about, Modi has done that,” he said, adding that they don’t have any problem with the reforms but with Modi.
“These parties are pained today. They are asking themselves how Modi could achieve what they couldn’t do in all this time. They are worried Modi will get credit. My reply to them is–you keep the credit. I don’t want credit. I only want farmers’ lives to improve. Stop misleading farmers.”
Modi’s address is part of the fresh nationwide campaign launched by the ruling Bharatia Janata Party (BJP) to counter attempts by opposition parties to “misguide and mislead” the farmers.
With the farmers protesting on the borders of the national capital refusing to relent on their demand for repeal of three new farm laws, the BJP’s national leadership has written to all state units, asking them to hold Kisan Sammelans, mass awareness and public outreach programmes to “sensitise” the farmers about the benefits of the farm laws against which farmers from Punjab and Haryana are protesting.
The senior ministers and leaders of the party are also holding meetings with “pro-farm laws farmers’ groups”, to signal that the demand for a repeal of the three laws doesn’t reflect a national farmer sentiment.
Before Modi’s speech, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan assured farmers that Mandis will not be closed. “PM Modi wants to double the income of farmers. Mandis won’t be closed at all… Congress is shedding crocodile tears, Kamal Nath had distributed fake loan waiver certificates” he said.
Chouhan on Thursday took stock of the preparations for the four-tier Kisan Kalyan event and directed the collectors of all districts to make necessary arrangements and ensure that information about it reaches the cultivators. Similar programmes will also be organised at district, block and panchayat levels in the state. The Chief Minister also directed the authorities to ensure that covid-19 protocols, including social distancing and wearing of masks, are maintained.
Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel addressed another Kisan Sammelan in his state’s Panchmahal district where he said the farmers’ protest on the borders of Delhi against the Centre’s three new laws had the support of “anti-national elements, terrorists, Khalistanis, communists and pro-China people”.
“If 50,000 out of 130 crore population come on to the streets asking to repeal a law, then tomorrow some other people will come and demand repeal of CAA… Anti-national elements will come together, terrorists from Kashmir and pro-Pakistan people will come together with instigation from Pakistan… if 50,000 anti-nationals come together and demand to repeal the law that abrogated Article 370, do we have to repeal the Act passed by Parliament? If 50,000 people demand, do we let Kashmir go (to Pakistan)? If 50,000 Communists get together and ask to give Ladakh to China, do we have to do so?,” he asked.
(With input from agencies)
