Farmers Protest Latest Update: As the agitating farmers are determined to continue their protest over the law on MSP, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said the dialogue is the only way to address farmers’ concerns and added that the Central government is always ready for discussion with the farmers. He highlighted that the farmers are the nation’s ‘Annadatas’ of the country.
“Earlier also we were ready for discussions, still we are ready and in the future also we will be ready. we don’t have any problem, they are our ‘Annadatas’…,” he said.
Blame Game Over Farmers Protest
The Union Minister also slammed the UPA government, asserting that the Modi-led government has allocated more funds for farmers compared to the UPA’s expenditure during its tenure.
“Despite the increase in the prices of fertilizers across the world, we prevented the rise in fertilizer and urea costs for farmers. The Government of India provided subsidies amounting to Rs 3 lakh crore. We worked continuously in the last three years and brought Nano Urea and not only this, I want to tell you that in the 10 years of UPA, Rs 5.50 lakh crore were spent on MSP for wheat, paddy, and oilseeds. The Modi government has allocated Rs 18 lakh 39 thousand crores, which is more than 3.50 times,” Thakur said.
“If I give you the example of pulses, the UPA government spent Rs 1936 crore, the Modi government spent more than Rs 55,000 crore,” he added.
There Was No Respect For Farmers,, Says Thakur
He also slammed the UPA government and said that during the time of Congress, there was neither respect for farmers nor funding.
“They (UPA) spent Rs 11,000 crore in oilseeds, we spent Rs 33,000crore. They spent Rs 2 lakh 80 thousand on wheat, we spent Rs 12 lakh 80 thousand. It was the Modi government that deposited Rs 2.81 lakh crore in the accounts of 12 crore farmers, and during the UPA, farmers did not get compensation. At our time, compensation worth Rs 1.54 lakh crore has been given under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana,” Anurag Thakur said.
“During their (UPA) time, money was not received from banks. In 2013-14, Rs 7.3 lakh crore was given. We gave more than Rs 20 lakh crore to the farmers in 2021-22. This was our duty towards the farmers, that is why Modi ji has created the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Look at each step in that direction, we spent Rs 15,511 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Sichayi Yojana,” he added.
Opposition Leaders Target Centre Over Farmer’s Death
In the meantime, the opposition leaders criticized the Centre for the death of a youth at the Khanauri Border crossing in Sangrur district, Punjab, during the ongoing farmers’ protests.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said that he was saddened by the death of a young farmer on the Punjab-Haryana border and asserted that stringent action would be taken against those responsible for it.
“The news of the death of 21-year-old Shubhakaran was received today during the incident at Khanuri border. It is very sad that the youth of my state is no longer in this world. I want to ask the central government why the farmer of Punjab cannot go to the capital of his own country? We express our heartfelt sympathy to the family of Shubhakaran in this hour of sorrow. We assure to help the family financially and socially in all aspects. After the post-mortem, appropriate action will be taken against the responsible officials,” he said.
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief, Arvind Kejriwal asked that was it for this day that we fought for independence?
“The death of Punjab’s young man Shubhakaran is very sad. Was it for this day that we fought for independence, that one day the governments elected by us in our own country will martyr our own sons like the British? We are completely with Shubhakaran and will ensure strict punishment to his murderers,” Kejriwal said in a post on X.
Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa demanded that an FIR should be registered against the Home Minister of Haryana.
