On day the farmers called for a Bharat bandh to protest the Modi Government’s farm sector legislations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday exhorted the BJP workers to create awareness about the Government’s enactments of the new laws and “authentic efforts” made by it for the betterment of the lives of farmers and labourers.
The Prime Minister said the BJP has fulfilled its “major promises” including that on Article 370 and construction of “Ram temple” at Ayodhya.
Addressing BJP workers and leaders through video conference on the day of the birth anniversary of the party ideologue Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, the Prime Minister listed progressive laws passed by the Government to improve the lives of farmers, labourers and those in the footpath market “Rehri-patri wale”. They have been aligned with the banking system, “receiving loan, salary or pension”, he said.
He drew the attention of the BJP workers and leaders to the New Education Policy (NEP) which has been brought out after 30 years and asked them to organise meets of five to seven days to analyse NEP and the benefits which could be drawn from it with educated people.
Remembering Upadhyaya, Modi said post-Independence when the country was trying to adopt foreign model of development, the late leader stressed on the indigenous way of economic, social, and cultural development.
He said the far-sighted vision of “Deendayal is guiding us in all spheres and would continue to inspire generations”.
Speaking on the farmers’ issue, Modi said the NDA Government made “prmanik” (authentic) attempts to change conditions of farmers by first increasing Minimum Support Price (MSP) by one and half times more, linking ten crores “kisans” with the banks and issuing “Kisan credit cards” which also helped those engaged in animal husbandry and fishing.
On the farmers Bills passed this week, he said, “After decades farmer will get right value for his produce.. small farmers constituting 85 per cent first time got an alternative …if he benefits by selling his produce in Mandi, he can, otherwise can sell it outside.”
“We gave the right to farmers to sell wherever he wants..,” Modi said seeking BJP workers to explain to farmers the benefits in the most simple ways by sitting with them in their dwellings and dispel rumours spread by those who had “trapped farmers in a complex web of legalities”.
The Prime Minister accused vested interests of telling lies to the farmers and “firing from their shoulders”.
Modi also spoke about the Government ensuring salaries and pension to labourers saying the right to minimum salary has been made mandatory.
He pointed out that there were 10,000 kinds of laws on minimum salaries which have been brought down to 200 now.