BackNo Mandis shut, MSP has increased after farm laws were passed: PM Modi in Lok Sabha
The PM had delivered his reply to the President's address in the Rajya Sabha on Monday where he defended the farm lawsHe had asserted that his government was working for the welfare of small farmers
PremiumPrime Minister Narendra Modi is replying to the motion of thanks on President Ram Nath Kovind’s address in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
"At around 4 PM today in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister @narendramodi will reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address," the prime minister's office had tweeted earlier in the day.
Also Read | Inside the third front of the farm agitation
The PM had delivered his reply to the President's address in the Rajya Sabha on Monday where he defended the contentious farm laws against which farmers have been protesting on Delhi borders since 26 November last year.
“Since 2014 we have initiated changes in the agriculture sector aimed at empowering the farmer. The crop insurance scheme was changed to make it more farmer-friendly. The PM-KISAN scheme was also brought in," he told the Parliament.
Quoting his predecessor, Modi said: "Manmohan Ji is here, I would read out his quote. Those taking a U-Turn (farm laws) will perhaps agree with him. 'There are other rigidities because of marketing regime set up in the 1930s which prevent our farmers from selling their produce where they get the highest rate of return'."
Here are the live updates from his address in Lok Sabha:
- Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury said that his party staged a walkout because the PM did not discuss their concerns. "We walked out because PM did not discuss our concerns over farmers' death. He agreed that amendments are required in farm laws, some states will be benefitted and some will no. Why do you have to bring laws that will not be benefitting everyone?" he said.
- Launching an attack on the opposition, PM Modi said that the parties have nothing to ask about the developmental and infrastructural projects taken up in the country.
- TMC MPs stage a walkout.
- "The movement of the farmers has been taken over by 'Andolanjeevi'," says the PM.
- Speaking about the need for privatisation, he said the country could be called the pharmacy of the world due to the contribution of the private sectors. "To use improper words against the private sector may have got votes for a few people in the past but those times are gone. The culture of abusing the private sector is not acceptable any longer. We cannot keep insulting our youth like this," he said.
- PM Modi called Kisan Rail moving cold storage and cited examples with which farmers have transported their produce during lockdown.
- He quoted farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh to say, "The entire country should be treated as one agricultural market."
- The PM says that the farm laws are a measure to support the farmers. "We do not want our farmers to be dependent on the government dole."
- "After independence, the country had 28% landless labours. According to the last census, we have 55% landless labours. There is also a dearth of investment in the agriculture sectors. We need to work towards bringing funds for farming," says PM Modi.
- The opposition, with Rahul Gandhi, stages a walkout from Lok Sabha raising slogans against the farm laws.
- On opposition parties raising slogans, the PM says: "The laws were brought through ordinances and after due discussions in Parliament. All the sloganeering and protests are a pre-planned strategy to prevent the truth from coming out."
- "This is the first time I am hearing 'When we did not ask, why did you give us the laws?' We did so because these laws are important. Nobody had asked for reforms against child marriage and triple talaq as well, but we passed the laws because they were necessary for the development of this society," says PM Modi.
- The PM called the farm laws "optional" as it gives the farmers the option to choose where they want to sell their produce.
- Opposition MPs create an uproar in the Lok Sabha as Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks on farm laws.
- "After the laws were passed in the parliament, I want to ask the farmers, have any of their rights being taken away by these reforms."
- The PM says that no mandis were shut after the farm laws were passed. "In fact, the procurement at MSP has increased since then."
- "We have tried to understand what the farmers' concerns are with clause-by-clause discussions. We understand that there is no harm in altering the laws if they can harm the farmers' business. But we are only waiting for a counter-proposal from the protesters' side," says the PM.
- Speaking about farm laws and the farmers' protest, the PM said the government respects the agitators. He stated that the reforms are necessary. "This is why our officials are having discussions with the farmers."
- Countries decided to give money directly to their people but could not despite declarations, said PM. He added that ₹2 lakh crore was given in the hands of the people through Aadhaar. "I am shocked that there were people who moved courts against Aadhaar."
- Responding to Congress MP Manish Tewari, PM Modi said, "Doctors and nurses appeared in the form of god. The sanitation worker, ambulance worker appeared in the form of god."
- PM hails the frontline workers in fight against Covid-19.
- PM Modi says that we had to fight against an "unknown enemy" when Covid-19 broke out in India. "But the discipline of 130 crore residents of India has saved us," he says.
- Post-corona, the new world order that will rise, India has to rise as a powerful player there. "The way to do that is through self-reliance," says PM Modi.
- PM Modi speaks of self-reliant India. Watch the address live:
- The PM quotes Swami Vivekananda: "Every nation has a message to deliver, ambition to fulfill and destiny to reach." Modi says that the way India has supported itself and others around is a turning point.
- "President's address has boosted the spirit of confidence among the people of India."
- It is this Parliament's duty to see where the country has reached in 2047, a hundred years after the country attained freedom. , says PM Modi.
- PM resumes address on Motion of Thanks.
- PM Narendra Modi arrives at the Lok Sabha.
- Lok Sabha proceedings resume.
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