NE NEWS SERVICE
DHORDO, DEC 15
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday interacted with farmers from Kutch district of Gujarat, including those from Punjab who have settled here, and also members of a local self-help group (SHG).
हमारे पूर्वज भी कितनी दूर की सोच रखते थे, इसका पता ठीक 118 साल पहले अहमदाबाद में लगी उस Industrial Exhibition से चलता है, जिसका मुख्य आकर्षण था- भानु ताप यंत्र।
आज 118 साल बाद 15 दिसंबर को ही सूरज की गर्मी से चलने वाले एक बड़े Renewable Energy पार्क का उद्घाटन किया गया है। pic.twitter.com/7uKs2xnn9y
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 15, 2020
The separate interactions took place on the sidelines of an event where Modi, on a day-long visit to Gujarat, laid foundation stones for a host of projects in the border district.
The PM met delegations of farmers from Punjab settled in Kutch district as well as local cultivators and heard their issues with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani accompanying him.
Sikh farmers cultivate land in areas near the Indo-Pak border.
During his visit to Kutch, PM Shri @narendramodi, accompanied by CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp, met and interacted with various local groups including Kutchi women active in handicraft activities as well as Sikh farmers who are settled in Kutch. pic.twitter.com/fRIIpYA7oS
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) December 15, 2020
The meeting came amid the ongoing protests by farmers, most of them from Punjab and Haryana, on Delhi borders against the Centre’s new agri laws.
The interaction took place at the tent city at Dhordo in Kutch district from where the Prime Minister laid foundation stones for the multiple projects.
The PM also interacted with a group of local women from a self-help group at the venue.
As per a rough estimate, around 5,000 Sikh families residing in and around Lakhpat taluka of Kutch district.
Sikhs started settling in Lakhpat after the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri urged citizens to settle in this barren patch of land after the 1965 India-Pakistan war.
Over the last several days, farmers have been protesting outside Delhi against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.
Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
The Centre has repeatedly sought to allay fears over the new farm laws and asserted there will be no tinkering with the existing MSP regime.
PM Modi @ white rann of #Kutch
PC @GujaratTourism pic.twitter.com/uRGHbkW3gG
— Brijesh Doshi (@brijdoshi) December 15, 2020
Conspiracy afoot to confuse farmers: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said a conspiracy is afoot to confuse farmers over the new agri laws and accused the opposition of using farmers” shoulders to fire their guns.
Without taking names, Modi, on a day-long visit to Gujarat, said opposition parties who are supporting the protest, when in power, were in favour of similar reforms in the agriculture sector.
To buttress his point, Modi gave the example of two sectors in Gujarat, his home state, which flourished without government intervention.
He said dairy and fisheries sectors in the state grew exponentially without much intervention of the state government as the business is mainly handled by co-operative sector leaders and farmers.
“In other parts of the country too, milk producers and the co-operative sector have created a successful supply chain. Similarly, governments do not have any significant control over the trade of fruits and vegetables.
“I am giving these examples because a conspiracy is afoot to confuse farmers who have gathered near Delhi at present,” Modi said.
“I am confident that progressive farmers will defeat those who are doing politics, spreading falsehood and using farmers’ shoulders to fire their guns,” Modi said.
“A sense of fear is being injected into their minds. Farmers are told that their land will be grabbed by others if the new farm laws get implemented.
“I want to ask you. Did the dairy owner take your cattle because you are selling milk to him? Has anyone taken your land or property for entering into a contract to sell your fruits and vegetables,” he said.
The country is asking why the freedom enjoyed by cattle rearers in the dairy sector is not provided to small and marginal farmers growing cereals and lentils, the PM said, strongly backing his agri-marketing laws whose passage has triggered protests by peasants who are camping outside Delhi.
“Demand for farm sector reforms which we brought recently was very old. Many farmer bodies have demanded since long that farmers should be given the freedom to sell their produce anywhere they want.
“Those in opposition were in favour of these reforms when they were in power,” said Modi.
“But, they failed to take any decision when in power. They only gave hollow promises to farmers.
“Now, when the country has taken this historic step, these very people are spreading falsehood. I want to reiterate that my government is ready 24 hours to resolve all your doubts,” said Modi.
He said farmers’ welfare has been a top priority for his government, which always worked to reduce farming costs to give cultivators new options to increase their income.
Modi said farmers from each corner of the country have welcomed the farm laws and given “blessings” to the government over them.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
The Centre has repeatedly sought to allay fears over the new farm laws and asserted there will be no tinkering with the existing MSP regime.
PM takes stroll in ‘White Desert’, attends cultural event
Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed a cultural programme at Tent City near here in Kutch district on Tuesday evening before wrapping up his day-long visit to Gujarat.
Well-known Gujarati folk singers Osman Mir and Geeta Rabari performed live at the cultural event organised at Tent City located near Dhordo village.
According to officials, the PM also visited stalls selling local handicraft items at Tent City, created as part of annual Rann Utsav in the middle of the desert for tourists.
Before leaving for New Delhi, the PM took a stroll in the Rann of Kutch, also called the “white desert”, they said.
Rann Utsav and Tent City, both aimed at promoting tourism in the border district, were planned and implemented by Modi when he was the chief minister of Gujarat.
