Took years to see positive results of 1991 economic reforms too, says Rajnath Singh, urges farmers to wait for 2 years
“If we can’t wait for four-five years, we can wait for at least two years to witness positive results of the agriculture reforms carried out by the Narendra Modi government,” Rajnath Singh said.
Reiterating Modi government’s commitment to protecting minimum support price so that farmers’ interests are not hurt at any cost, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said it takes some to see the impact of the agriculture reforms. “I appeal to farmers to see changes in the next one and half years. Otherwise, we can improve them through talks,” Rajnath Singh said as he was addressing the people of Himachal Pradesh via video-conferencing on the completion of three years of Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government.
“Be it the 1991 economic reforms brought in by the Narasimha Rao government or other ones enacted during the Vajpayee government, it took four-five years to see their positive results. If we can’t wait for four-five years, we can wait for at least two years to witness positive results of the agriculture reforms carried out by the Narendra Modi government,” Singh said.
On an earlier occasion too, Rajnath Singh while addressing farmers in Delhi asked them to let the laws be implemented and the wait and see. “The income of farmers will double with the enactment of farm laws,” Rajnath said.
Slamming the opposition for misleading farmers, Singh said, “It’s unfortunate that those who don’t even know about farming, are misleading innocent farmers. This govt never intended to stop MSP, neither it will in future. Mandis will also be maintained. No ‘Mai Ka Lal’ can take away land from farmers.”
The protesting farmer unions on Saturday decided to resume their dialogue with the Centre and proposed December 29 for the next round of talks to end the deadlock over the three newly enacted farm laws, but made it clear that the modalities for its repeal and guarantee for MSP should be part of the agenda. The agriculture ministry in its last letter to the unions maintained that as MSP does not come under the purview of the three laws that are being discussed, it was not logical to include this in the agenda.
