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Amid sustained resistance from a section of farmers over three controversial agriculture laws introduced by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 15 August, said that his government's aim is to turn small farmers into the pride of the nation.
Delivering his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort, PM Modi said the country will have to work on strengthening the collective power of farmers.
Adding that farmers have been given new facilities, PM Modi said that they "must become the country's pride."
Addressing the nation on the occasion of India's 75th Independence Day, PM Modi said that the country will have to work together for "next-generation infrastructure, world-class manufacturing, cutting innovations and new-age technology."
Maintaining that the digital infrastructure of villages in undergoing rapid change, the prime minister said that "Digital entrepreneurs are getting ready in villages too."
PM Modi's pitch for small farmers comes at a time when the talks between the latter and the government have come to a screeching halt, after farmer groups rejected the Centre's proposal to suspend the controversial farm laws for two years.
The last such discussion between the two parties took place on 22 January, following which some sections of farmers have expressed their willingness to resume the dialogue with the government.
Farmers fear that the new laws could place their interests below those of below corporates and gradually lead to the erosion of the minimum support price for crops.
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