Anti-Indian, feudalistic force behind farmers' stir: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday alleged that an anti-Indian and feudalistic force was behind the ongoing farmers' agitation against the new agricultural laws.

He said that this force was also against the concepts of 'Bharatiyata' (Indianness) and India's self-reliance.

"There is a force in the country which is basically anti-India and feudalistic. The people associated with this force are also against Indianness and the country's self- reliance. This force is behind the farmers' agitation," Pradhan told reporters.

The Petroleum Minister was here to address a divisional farmers' convention organised by the BJP.

"Who stood with China against its invasion (on India)? Who imposed the Emergency in India? Who ran nepotism in the country between 2004 and 2014? Those involved in these works are now engaged in instigating the farmers' agitation," he alleged.

Questioning the farmers' protest, Pradhan said, "Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has agreed to give a written guarantee that the system of procurement of crops at the minimum support price (MSP) will continue in the country. Then on what issue the farmers' agitation is happening?"

He also alleged that the agitation is being instigated to build an atmosphere against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to create chaos in the country.

"The people of the country are with Modi on the new agricultural laws," he said.

Terming the Congress's move of opposing the new agricultural laws as the "mental bankruptcy" of the opposition party, Pradhan said, "Such laws have already been enacted in Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and other states".

He described the new agricultural laws as an important step towards bringing Indian farmers' produce to international markets and said, "The concept of 'one country-one market' needs to be implemented in India to enter the global commodity market."

Pradhan said that before the new agricultural laws, there was a lot of exploitation of farmers in the crop trading system and middlemen used to benefit a lot.