Rajnath Singh invites farmers for talks on new Farms Reform Bill

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said a group of laws enacted recently to liberalise the farm sector would “greatly benefit” the farming community and he was able to discuss all outstanding issues

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said a group of laws enacted recently to liberalise the farm sector would “greatly benefit” the farming community and he was able to discuss all outstanding issues with protesting farmers. i would like to reassure the farmers of this country. they ought to end their agitation. I invite them for talks. i’m the defence minister but I invite them because the son of a farmer. we will never cheat farmers.”

Singh said the recent reforms will cause higher farm incomes. “I can say, because the son of a farmer, that the results are going to be visible within the next four to 5 years. there’ll be a rise in farmers’ earnings,” he said.

The laws would in no way harm farmers’ interests, the defence minister said. “I can say this confidently because I even have read every clause of the bills, the mandi (procurement system) won’t end and can continue,” he said.

“As far because the question of purchase of grains at minimum support prices cares , it’s been continuing and can continue within the future. In fact, the govt will purchase more quantities going forward than it’s within the past,” the defence minister said.

The defence minister’s comments have come on each day that the police detained many farmers in Haryana and security on the Delhi-Haryana border was tightened to prevent cultivators from entering the capital , where they decide to hold rallies.

Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and other states are protesting a group of laws approved by Parliament in September to open up agricultural markets within the country and allowing agribusinesses to freely trade farm produce without restrictions.

Farmers say the reforms would make them susceptible to exploitation by big corporations and weaken the government’s minimum support price (MSP) system.