Farmers falling prey to misleading and mischievous propaganda, says BJP

PTI, Dec 11, 2020, 8:05 PM IST

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Friday alleged that a “misleading and deceptive narrative” is being created on the agriculture bills because of which “gross misunderstanding” has spread among farmers.

Urging farmers to withdraw their protest after the Centre’s promise to make seven amendments to the new agri laws keeping in view the objections raised by them, Chugh said the protesters should not get misled by the “false propaganda”. The Centre’s seven undertakings including that the MSP and mandis would continue as it is, should dispel all doubts of the agitating farmers and they should repose their faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said in a statement here.

Several farmers are protesting at Delhi borders seeking repeal of the new laws enacted by the Centre recently. Chugh said the Modi government has all along been empowering farmers sincerely in a bid to double their income and make agriculture profitable. Whether it is the decision to transfer money directly to the bank account of the farmers, MSP increases or pension scheme, our focus has been to empower farmers, he said. Chugh said these reforms will boost investment in the agriculture sector, through better assured prices, and contracts for farm services.

“In contract farming, the agreement is made between the farmer and buyer even before the crop is sown. Farmer already knows what MSP he can get for his crop. So, the farmer will negotiate a price above the MSP,” he said. Chugh rebutted the “misleading propaganda” that corporate houses would grab farmers’ land.

“No corporate house or private buyers can touch the land of a farmer”, he said, adding that the laws provide adequate protection to farmers on that count. The impact of these reforms will transform India’s agriculture and food processing industries, he said. Private sector investments will pour in across the entire cold chain, reducing losses and ensuring better prices for farmers, he said. Bringing farmers together through farmer producer organisations will enable bargaining capacity and economies of scale for even small farmers, he said.

Chugh said under the new laws farmers have got the freedom to sell their produce anywhere in the country. It is sure to ensure farmer welfare and revive the rural economy, he added. “These decisions have identified the farmer as a producer and his produce as a product.Now, farmers are being helped to grow into a big market force,” he said. He urged the agitating farmers to review their stand and withdraw their protest in the interest of the nation and for the sake for their own prosperity and empowerment.