PM Modi defends farm reforms, attacks 'misinformation, propaganda'

Prime Minister Modi again defends laws liberalising agriculture market, says farmers must trust him.

A misinformation campaign is underway against recently enacted laws that give farmers the freedom to sell crops for better prices, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday as he again defended the reforms that have drawn protests.

“There’s a new trend now—earlier decisions of the government were opposed but now rumours have become the basis for opposition. Propaganda is spread even though a decision is right. It can lead to other consequences, about things that haven’t happened or will never happen. The same is with farm laws,” said Modi in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency.

“A misinformation campaign is underway against historic reforms in agriculture. It’s being done by the same people who acted against farmers’ interests,” he said.

"Earlier, any transactions outside a mandi were considered illegal. This was against small farmers who could not even reach mandis. Now even the smallest of farmers can legally operate outside mandis . So farmers have got new options and also got legal safeguards to stop them from getting fleeced."

“Farmers are being empowered by giving them options for a bigger market. Reforms are being done in the interest of farmers, which will give them more options. Shouldn’t a farmer get the freedom to sell his produce directly to those who give them better prices and facilities,” he said at the inauguration of a highway project.

Modi on Sunday sought to dispel concerns about the laws, speaking as farmers from Punjab and Haryana march to Delhi in protest against the reforms.

“New dimensions are being added to agriculture and its related activities in India. The agriculture reforms in the past few days have also now opened new doors of possibilities for our farmers,” Modi said in his monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat.