Amid row over farm bills, PM Modi hails legislation; calls it 'watershed moment' for agriculture

Shortly after the Rajya Sabha on Sunday passed the controversial new farm bills, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the kisan krishi legislations, pointing that it was a 'watershed moment' for agriculture in India. Notably, the central government has claimed that the new agricultural legislation will make it easier for farmers to sell their produce directly to big buyers, despite growing protest from opposition parties over the issue.

"A watershed moment in the history of Indian agriculture! Congratulations to our hardworking farmers on the passage of key bills in Parliament, which will ensure a complete transformation of the agriculture sector as well as empower crores of farmers," tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this day.

A watershed moment in the history of Indian agriculture! Congratulations to our hardworking farmers on the passage of key bills in Parliament, which will ensure a complete transformation of the agriculture sector as well as empower crores of farmers.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2020

In a series of subsequent tweets, he claimed that the bills passed by Parliament "liberate" the Indian farmer from various constraints and bullying by middlemen, which has been the norm for decades. He said that the bills will add impetus to the efforts to double the income of farmers and ensure greater prosperity for them.

Prime Minister Modi also said that the bills provide farmers with "futuristic technology" which will help them boost productions and yield better results since, he said, the agriculture sector is in desperate need of latest technology that assists the industrious farmers.

For decades, the Indian farmer was bound by various constraints and bullied by middlemen. The bills passed by Parliament liberate the farmers from such adversities. These bills will add impetus to the efforts to double income of farmers and ensure greater prosperity for them.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2020

Our agriculture sector is in desperate need of latest technology that assists the industrious farmers. Now, with the passage of the bills, our farmers will have easier access to futuristic technology that will boost production and yield better results. This is a welcome step.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2020

Finally, the Prime Minister clarified the misgivings over the current farm bills since they have already generated a lot of controversies.

"I said it earlier and I say it once again: System of MSP will remain. Government procurement will continue. We are here to serve our farmers. We will do everything possible to support them and ensure a better life for their coming generations," he tweeted.

I said it earlier and I say it once again:

System of MSP will remain.

Government procurement will continue.

We are here to serve our farmers. We will do everything possible to support them and ensure a better life for their coming generations.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2020

For context, the Upper House of the Parliament on Sunday gave its nod to The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, as opposition MPs continued to shout slogans during their passage. Some lawmakers even staged a walkout in protest.

Earlier, replying to the debate on the Bills, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had assured the House that the Minimum Support Price regime will not be scrapped. Some of the amendments moved by the opposition lawmakers were not pressed for voting while those pressed for voting were negated.

The opposition also demanded that the Bills be sent to the Select committee of the Upper House but it was not accepted by the government.

Despite repeated requests, many opposition members reached the Well of the House to register their protests.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad demanded that discussion on the Bills be continued on Monday. "To decide this, we should go by the consensus among the members, not by the numbers of the ruling party," Azad said.

The opposition, as well as BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal, termed the Bills an "anti-farmers" move by the Centre, with some staging a walkout.

Thousands of farmers in Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting since the government introduced these Bills in the Lok Sabha on September 14, the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The Bills seek to replace the Farmers` Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 promulgated on June 5.

The Farmers` Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 seeks to provide a new ecosystem in which farmers and traders, as per the government, will enjoy the freedom of choice relating to sale and purchase of their products and facilitates remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels to promote efficient, transparent and barrier-free inter- and intra-state trade and commerce.

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, aims to provide a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers.

(With agency inputs)