Agri sector made positive contribution in GDP, reconsider farm laws, Gehlot writes to PM Modi
Nov 29, 2020
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], November 30 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding to reconsider the three new farm laws, against which farmers are staging protests.
The chief minister said that when the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate contracted by 7.5 per cent in the Q2 of the financial year 2020-21, the agricultural sector grew by 3.4 per cent. "The PM should reconsider the laws in the interest of the farmers and for protection of democratic values," Gehlot said in the letter.
He added that on November 26, when the country was celebrating Constitution Day, the farmers were hit by sticks and water sprays. "The central government should immediately resolve the farmers' problems by listening to their demands. The farmers have irrigated the land of the country with their blood and sweat."
The Congress leader said the Centre brought in the laws without any discussion with the farmers and experts while also ignoring the demands by opposition parties in Parliament to send the Bills to a select committee.
These Acts do not mention minimum support price (MSP), which has led to distrust among farmers, Gehlot added.
He further said that with the implementation of these laws, the farmers will become dependent on private players only.
Gehlot also informed Modi of the amendments made by the state in the three laws to "protect the interest of the farmers".
The farmers protesting at various places in Delhi borders on Sunday rejected the central government's offer to hold talks, saying that imposing "conditions for starting a dialogue is an insult to them".
"There was an offer from the central government for a negotiation to resolve our issue. We have decided not to accept the proposal because there was a condition in it, asking the farmers squatting on roads to move to Burari. We cannot accept this demand. The condition put forward for talks is an insult to farmers," said Surjeet Singh Phul, Punjab State President of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), while addressing media on Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana) on Sunday afternoon.
