Centre Ready to Amend, But Farm Laws Aren’t Flawed: Agri Min Tomar

Narendra Singh Tomar emphasised that the laws were passed to benefit farmers, bring reforms, and boost investment.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

(Photo: IANS)

The Centre is willing to amend the three recently passed farm laws, because the farmers are the face of the protest, but it does not mean that the laws are flawed, said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday, 6 March. Tomar added that the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are committed to the welfare of farmers.

Speaking at the 5th National Convention of Agrivision, Tomar said, "During negotiations, I spoke about the prospects of amendments. But I also said the amendment proposals don't mean the laws are flawed. I put forth the proposal only because the face of their protests are farmers,” reported NDTV.

The Agriculture Minister emphasised that the laws are in place to benefit farmers, bring reforms, and boost investment by saying, “Farmers should be able to send their produce freely at the price they want, where they want to the people they want and they can take risks, the Centre has cleared reforms in this direction,” quoted the report.

Tomar added that it was difficult to implement any changes in law, however, if policy and intent was correct, people would eventually accept it, the report added.

Tomar hit out at the Opposition for allegedly politicising the issue, saying the leaders never talked about the clauses of the farm laws in Parliament, and only spoke about the farmers’ protests. He said, “Everyone is free to have any political view in democracy, but the new generation must think, should there be any politics by sacrificing farmers or by hurting farmers' interest or at the cost of the agriculture economy?” PTI reported.

Background

The Centre has had eleven rounds of talks with the farmers so far, which have failed to end the deadlock. On Saturday, thousands of farmers carried out a five-hour peaceful blockade to mark the 100th day of the protests calling for a complete repeal of the three farm laws.

The farmers had registered their protest between 11 am to 4 pm by raising slogans and displaying black placards, blocking various toll plazas on the expressway, while the tricolour fluttered atop tractors, and protest songs blared from speakers.

Over 200 farmers have died in the protests so far.

(With inputs from NDTV and PTI)