As BJP has intensified it’s ‘awareness campaign’ around the three new controversial farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to have a virtual meet with the farmers of Uttar Pradesh on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on December 25.
Farmers agitation on the outskirts of Delhi for scrapping farm laws has entered 21st day. The NDA allies in Rajasthan — Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) — indicated its plan to exit the alliance over the Central Laws after its chief and MP from Nagaur, Hanuman Beniwal announced his resignation from three different committees of Parliament.
In his outreach to farmers, Modi has been accusing the Opposition of “misleading” farmers on the farm laws, the “mandi-system” and Minimum Support Price. The PM has asserted these will continue despite the new contract farming which has come into effect in last six months.
In the continuation of his “virtual dialogue” with the farmers, Modi will have interaction with the farmers of UP on December 25.
The BJP is currently undertaking its “awareness” campaign over 700 districts in the country around village “chaupals”, according to the party.
Central Ministers are part of the programme which mainly includes dispelling doubts about three farm laws, contract farming and assuring farmers that the “mandi-system” and the MSP will not be discontinued.
The BJP will hold “kisan samvad” at over 2,500 places in Uttar Pradesh.
UP BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh and party leader Radha Mohan Singh, who is also State-in-charge, held a virtual meeting in this regard with party office-bearers from parts of the UP. Radha Mohan Singh charged the Opposition parties with spreading lies regarding the new farm laws.
Thousands of farmers, especially Sikhs from Punjab and from Haryana, have been protesting at Delhi borders against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.
The stand-off between the agitating farmers and the Centre is refusing to end with the farmers demanding complete roll-back of farm laws and the Government seeking them to walk mid-way and be satisfied with key amendments which Central Ministers are reportedly agreeing to in as many as five-rounds of talks between the two sides.