Political rivals misusing farmers' protest to push their agenda: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday squarely blamed those with political agenda for the deadlock in the Centre's talks with protesting farmers and asserted that his government is willing to hold dialogues with all, including those staunchly opposed to it, as long as talks are based on farm issues, facts and logic.

On Friday, Modi released Rs 18,000 crore as the next instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme to over 9 crore farmers.

Under the PM-KISAN Scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmers, payable in three equal 4-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000 each through direct benefit transfer.

In a blistering speech targeting Opposition during the event, Modi said when the agitation began farmers had some genuine demands like guaranteed Minimum Support Price but people with political motives then took over and began making unrelated demands like the release of those accused of violence and making highways toll-free.

While putting up a strong defence of the three farm laws, enacted in September, he said farmers in overwhelming numbers across the country have welcomed the three Acts and listed their benefits as well during his interaction.

His government is approaching dialogues with protesting farmers with an open heart, Modi said, claiming that the parties rejected by the electorate are pushing their political agenda by misleading farmers and using their shoulders to fire at the government as they lack any logical argument against these laws.

Defeated in elections, these parties are now indulging in event management for selfies and are appearing on television for publicity, he said.

"Our decision can be tested on logic and facts. If there is any shortcoming, it should be highlighted. It is a democracy. We are not claiming that God has given us all knowledge," he added.

Farm reforms became necessary because poor farmers, who are over 80 per cent, were getting poorer during rules of earlier governments, he said.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are camping on various Delhi borders for almost a month to protest against the three farm laws. At least five rounds of formal talks have failed to break the deadlock with the farmer groups refusing to accept anything less than the complete repeal of the laws.

While the government has projected these laws as major reforms for benefit of farmers, protesting unions have been saying that these legislations would leave them at the mercy of corporates by weakening the MSP and mandi systems.

The government has maintained that such apprehensions were unfounded as the MSP and mandi systems are not just continuing but also being expanded and strengthened further.

Reacting to Modi's speech, several protesting union leaders said it appeared aimed at creating a divide among farmers by misleading them and urged for a concrete action plan to provide a legal guarantee on MSP and on other demands.

In his speech, Modi asserted: "You would have seen that when the agitation started their demand was about MSP guarantee. They had genuine issues because they were farmers. But then those with political ideology took over."

He added: "MSP, etcetera were pushed aside and now what is happening is that they are demanding release from jail of those accused of violence... They want highways toll-free, opposing policies that have existed through several governments. Why have they shifted from farmers' issues to new demands."

Despite that, farmers across the country have wholeheartedly welcomed agriculture reforms, he said, assuring farmers that he will not let them down.