Published 19:20 IST, December 17th 2020
Agriculture Minister writes letter to farmers with 8-point assurance, exposes Oppn's lies
After having led 6 rounds of discussions with the unions, Narendra Singh Tomar has now written an open letter to the farmers highlighting govt's assurances
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As the farmers' protest enters the 22nd day on Thursday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has written an open letter to all the farmers to clear confusion over the three contentious agrarian laws. The Union Minister concluded his 8-page long letter to the farmers with six assurances that the Centre is ready to provide. Tomar has so far led six rounds of deliberations with the farmers' unions which have ended inconclusively and has maintained that the Centre remains open to further deliberations as well.
In his letter to the farmers, Narendra Tomar has highlighted the benefits of the three farm laws, mentioned the support extended by several farmers' unions and also launched a scathing attack on the Opposition for creating 'illusions' just to reap 'political benefits'.
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Narendra Tomar's letter to the farmers
"As the Agriculture Minister, it is very pleasing to know that after the implementation of the new laws, the procurement by the government on MSP has broken several records. At a time when such records are being broken and the number of purchase centres are increasing, some people are lying to the farmers that the MSP will be abolished. I request all the farmers to identify this lie by political opportunists and scrap it. The government which has provided farmers 1.5 times of MSP, which has ensured that the farmers receive twice of the usual benefits in the last 6 years, that government will never abolish MSP. Through the PM Kissan Samman Nidhi, it is our objective to ensure that you get Rs 6000 yearly so that you dont have to seek loans during difficult times," he wrote.
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He also pointed out that to ensure better infrastructure for the benefit of farmers, the Centre has created an 'Agricultural Infrastructure Fund' of Rs 1 lakh crores. Repeating the Centre's attack on the Congress' hypocrisy over the farm laws, Tomar has mentioned that the previous governments were also a proponent of the reforms announced in the Agri sector.
"Through this letter, I want to tell you that in the last 20-25 years can anyone show me any statement from any politician or union which has said that farmers should not be provided with market options to sell their produce and that the existing system is good. Several big unions have often demonstrated against these shackles of market. Agricultural experts say that without these reforms it would be difficult to bring a change in the lives of Indian farmers," the Agriculture Minister wrote.
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He also asserted that the Congress had mentioned these reforms in their 2019 General Elections Manifesto whereas the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had promised the same in their manifesto for the Punjab Assembly Elections. Narendra Tomar concluded his letter with the assurances that the Centre is ready to provide to the farmers. These include:
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- The government is ready to give a written assurance on the MSP
- States can be given the right to impose tax on markets outside the APMC
- For any sort of disputes, farmers will have the option to approach the courts
- States will have the right to register agricultural deals
- No one can claim rights on farmers' lands because these laws do not allow the transfer, sale, lease and mortgage
- Contractors will not be allowed to make any changes on farmers lands
- Contractors will not be permitted any loan to make any developments of farmers lands
- Whatever the situation be, these laws do not allow anyone to seize control over farmers lands
Amit Shah chairs key meet
The Union Agriculture Minister's letter to the farmers came minutes after his meeting with the Union Home Minister on Thursday. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Piyush Goyal and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were said to be present in the meeting on Thursday at the BJP headquarters. Meanwhile, as a part of the BJP's massive outreach programme - Kissan Chaupal Sammelan - an attempt to apprise peasants of the benefits of the three farm laws introduced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address farmers in Madhya Pradesh on Friday. PM Modi's address will be telecast in around 23,000 villages, according to official sources. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with his other ministers, will also participate in the event from Raisen district, they said.
19:20 IST, December 17th 2020