PM Narendra Modi defends farm laws

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly defended farm laws on Wednesday and accused the Congress of misleading the farmers and called it a "divided party" which cannot think about the well-being of farmers.

Replying to the motion of thanks on President's address, the Prime Minister said that purchase on MSP increased after the laws were formed. He said the Opposition must talk about the "content" and "intent" of the farm laws.

In his reply, Modi tried to pacify the farmers agitating against the three farm laws introduced in the previous Parliament session. Modi said his government and Parliament have great respect for farmers and made it clear that those who want to continue with the old agriculture marketing system can continue doing so.

Arguing that new reforms are essential to development, Modi said that status quo mentality will destroy the country. The PM even invoked Jat farmer leader from western Uttar Pradesh Chaudhary Charan Singh twice to make his case for the need for agriculture reforms in India. Citing the examples of reformers Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Jyotiba Phule, the PM said the Congress never stopped them from pushing for reforms. "I am surprised by statements like why were these laws made when no one asked for them. The people never asked for Ayushmaan Bharat, Jan Dhan or Swachh Bharat but we decided to take the initiative. The government should work only when something is demanded, that time has gone," the Prime Minister said. Modi recalled that Charan Singh had said that reforms were necessary for farm sector to ensure that our farmers have options to sell and grow their crops. "Chaudhary Charan Singh wrote a book on India's economy advocating that India should be considered a single market for agricultural products," the PM said.