Can’t Build New Century With Old Laws: Modi Amid Farmers’ Protest

PM Narendra Modi said his government is carrying out holistic reforms.

PM Narendra Modi said that the reforms in recent times have given self-confidence to people.

(Photo Courtesy: BJP4India/Twitter)

Amid the protests over Centre’s new farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that reforms are needed for development. He also added that the next century cannot be built with laws of the previous century.

“Some laws from the past century have become a burden now,” PM Modi was quoted as saying by PTI.

"Reforms are very much needed for a new order and to give new facilities," news agency PTI quoted the Prime Minister as saying at the launch of Agra metro rail project through video conference.

His statements on the importance of reforms comes ahead of Tuesday's “Bharat Bandh” over the three new farm laws for which farmers have been protesting in the national capital.

PM Modi said that the impact of the government’s reforms can be seen in the recent election results and that reforms should be a continuous process.

Mentioning his government’s efforts in carrying out "holistic reforms", PM Modi added, "Earlier, reforms used to happen in a piecemeal manner, or keeping in mind some sectors and departments."

He further said that reforms in recent times have given self-confidence to people. UP’s election result was one such example.

According to PTI, PM Modi said that in the recent years the poor and the middle class have showered their “unprecedented blessings” on the efforts of the government. He said, “This support gives me the courage to do new things and take new initiatives.”

The "Delhi Chalo" Farmers’ protest will hold a peaceful “Bharat Bandh" on Tuesday from 11 am to 3 pm. At a press conference on Monday, farmers’ unions stated that "chakka jams" will be carried out on the streets and on the border, alongside the Singhu border protest, reported The Indian Express.

The Centre has asked all states and Union Territories to tighten security on Tuesday, asserting that peace and tranquility must be maintained, and precautionary measures must be taken to prevent any untoward incident anywhere in the country, told a Home Ministry official to PTI.

The Union Ministry has also asked the states and UT administrations to ensure everyone strictly adheres to COVID-19 norms for safety and social distancing, reported PTI.

Farmers have been protesting at the Delhi border over the past 12 days, demanding scrapping of the three farm laws passed by the Parliament in the Monsoon Session. These are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.

(With inputs from PTI & The Indian Express)