No rationale for farmers' protest as SC already stayed farm laws, says UP Agriculture Minister
Oct 22, 2021
New Delhi [India], October 22 : Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi on Thursday said that there is no rationale for the farmers' protest as the Supreme Court has already stayed the farm laws.
"Those who have faith in the Constitution of India and the Hon'ble Supreme Court should follow their orders. There is no justification for protest since the court has stayed the farm laws for a year, there is no rationale in that " Shahi told ANI.
"A reformist step was taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji with a view to resolving the difficulties of the farmers which have been there for 40-50 years," he added.
"Efforts have been made in it with a view to getting better prices passed to the farmers. When the Supreme Court had suspended this law, it said that indefinitely blocking the road is not a solution to any problem. It is true. There is no solution, only dialogue can solve the problem," he stated.
Speaking about whether the farmers' movement will have an impact on the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Shahi said, "The farmers of Uttar Pradesh are not with this movement. Yogi ji's government has made efforts with a view to solving all the difficulties of the farmers. We have increased the irrigation resources and are paying farmers the prices of the products by purchasing them on a large scale at minimum support price".
"Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji has instructed that if it is fully paid, then we have got the arrears paid. Within the last 4 years, more than one lakh 45 thousand crore rupees have been paid to the farmers in the form of sugarcane price. Similarly, in the case of the purchase of paddy and wheat, in Uttar Pradesh, an amount of about 80 lakh crore rupees has been paid. Wheat, pulses and oilseeds have been procured in the last four years," he stated.
Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court said that farmers have the right to protest but roads cannot be blocked indefinitely.
This came while hearing a plea against the blockade of roads between Delhi to Noida due to farmers' protests against the three agriculture laws.
Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are scheduled to take place early next year.
