Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that political parties, experts and even farmers had been demanding new farm laws for long and assured that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism for crops will continue. In a virtual address at a state-level ‘Kisan Kalyan’ event in Madhya Pradesh, he alleged that opposition parties themselves advocated for such laws, but now are now protesting because they did not want the PM to get credit for the reforms.
As the agitation against the new farm laws at Delhi borders entered its 23rd day, here are five things that PM Modi said during his address:
-"Even after all these government's efforts if anyone has any doubt over the farm laws, we, with folded hands and heads bowed, are ready for talks."
-"In fact, farmers should seek answers from those opposing them now as to why they advocated these farm laws in their manifestos for getting their votes, but never fulfilled the promise. It was not their priority.”
- “Those who have lost their political space in the country are misleading farmers that they will lose their lands."
-"If you see their [opposition parties’] manifestos, you will find that today's reforms are not different from what they had promised.”
- “No sane person will accept that MSP will be scrapped.”
The Prime Minister has said that he will address the farmers again on December 25 on the new law on contracts between private entities and farmers.