Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the government was open to talks with farmer groups to allay any apprehensions about the three farm-related Acts passed in the monsoon session. Parliament had passed The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation), Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, in the last session prompting protests from the Opposition and farmer groups and with NDA ally Shiromani Akali Dal walking out of the alliance.
“I appeal to all farmer organisations to come and talk to us to clear issues; I’ve already begun such meetings,” said Mr. Singh who has held the agriculture portfolio in late Prime Minister Vajpayee’s government. Describing himself as the “son of a farmer”, he said the Modi government would not do anything against their interests. “As a farmer’s son, I want to make it clear Modi govt. will not do anything against farmers’ interests,” he said.
He said the system of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for certain crops will continue as before. Mr. Singh condemned the burning of a tractor in Central Delhi by leaders of the Opposition Congress party.
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“Tractors are as sacred to farmers as weapons are to soldiers and burning them is like insulting our farmers,” he said.