PM backs farm reform, says govt ready for talks

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on Wednesday that the new farm laws passed in September were optional and not binding on farmers, who, he said, can still sell their produce wherever they earn more profits and not necessarily to corporate entities.

The PM invited protesting farmers to resume a dialogue, saying changes could be introduced in the legislation if any problems indeed existed, even as he forcefully supported the agricultural reforms and told the Lok Sabha: “As long as our small farmers don’t get empowered, full freedom will not be achieved.”

“After the enactment of the new laws, neither the mandis have closed nor MSP has stopped, but more crops have

been bought under MSP,” Modi said in his reply to the motion of thanks on the President’s speech to Parliament.

“I want to ask all the farmers whether the new law has taken away any right, any system from

them? I can understand the Opposition protest if these laws were compulsory. But the new laws are not compulsory for anyone... So, there is no reason to protest,” Modi said as Congress MPS staged a walkout.