MODI Virtually Rejects Demand For Rolling Back Agri Laws

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has indicated that the demand for repealing three farm laws is not acceptable after reiterating that his government is committed to empowering the small farmers. Accusing the opposition of “intellectual dishonesty” and “political deceit” over criticism of the legislation, PM Modi says tough and big decisions need to be taken to bring benefits to citizens who should have received them decades ago. Stoutly defending the agri laws, Modi said it is one thing if a political party makes a promise and is unable to deliver on it but what is a “particularly undesirable” and “detestable” trait is some of these parties made promises on the lines of the reforms enacted by his government and have now done a U-turn and spread “the most malicious kind of misinformation on the promises they themselves had made”. The federal government headed by him has made it clear several times that it is ready for dialogue on disagreement on the farm laws, ready to sit together and discuss those issues. In an interview with an English weekly magazine, PM said several meets have also been held on the issue related to the farm laws. But there has been no outcome, he said. There are political parties which will ‘’grandiosely make promises before elections, even put them in their manifestos. Yet, when the time comes to deliver on the same promises, the same parties and people do a complete U-turn and worse, spread the most malicious kind of misinformation on the promises they themselves had made’’. If one looks at those who are opposing the pro-farmer reforms today, one will see the real meaning of intellectual dishonesty and Rajneetik Dhokhadhadi. The same people who wrote to the Chief Ministers when they were in power at the center asking them to do what the NDA Government has done are now opposing the agri laws. They are the same people who wrote in their manifesto that they would enact the same reforms. Yet, just because some other political party, blessed by the will of the people, is enacting the same reforms, they have made a complete U-turn, he added. He was replying to a question about the labour and farm laws enacted by the government and its refusal to roll back the three contentious agriculture laws, as demanded by the protesting farmer unions. The ruling BJP has gone on record claiming that several opposition parties, including the Congress, had promised similar farm reforms that the Modi government has enacted but are now backing protests against the new laws for political reasons. A section of farmers, especially in Punjab and part of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting against the laws although their implementation has been put on hold and the issue is sub judice in The Supreme Court of India following some interests group challenging their constitutional validity. Edited by PKC. Picture courtesy: The Tribune India