Modi lashes out at Mamata govt for not availing central benefits for Bengal farmers

PM releases over 18,000 crore to more than nine crore farmers

Narendra Modi : PTI file picture

---

TT Bureau, Agencies   |   New Delhi   |   25.12.20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday bashed the Mamata Banerjee-led government in Bengal while alleging that they have destroyed the state and was doing politics by stopping over 70 lakh farmers of the state from getting benefits of the Centre's flagship PM-KISAN scheme under which Rs 6,000 is being provided with every year.

The PM was speaking at an event where he released over Rs 18,000 crore to more than nine crore farmer families under the 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi' (PM-KISAN).

With the push of a button, Modi enabled the transfer of money at an event which the ruling BJP has made into a mega exercise to reach out to farmers by having its leaders interact with the farming community at more than 19,000 venues across the country and also listen to the prime minister's address.

Modi released the instalment of Rs 2,000 to every farmer on the birth anniversary of the former prime minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which is every year celebrated as "Good Governance Day" by the ruling party.

Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to small and marginal farmers, payable in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

The prime minister wondered while there were agitations against the new farm bills, no protests were visible against West Bengal's decision of not implementing PM-Kisan scheme.

"Today I regret that more than 70 lakh farmers of West Bengal have not been able to get benefits of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. More than 23 lakh farmers of Bengal have applied online to take advantage of this scheme. But the state government has stopped the verification process for so long," he said

Modi said the Mamata Banerjee government has destroyed West Bengal and was playing politics by stopping benefits for farmers in the state.

He said the entire country is benefiting from the PM-KISAN programme, but only one state, West Bengal, has not implemented this scheme.

As a result, over 70 lakh farmers are not able to take benefit of this scheme and this money is not reaching them, he said, adding that this is because of political reasons.

"Why there was no protest for ensuring PM-KISAN money," he said.

"If you listen to 15 years old speech of Mamta Ji, then you will know how much this ideology has ruined Bengal," he said.

Modi said everyone knows how the state has been ruined by the political ideology of those who ruled there for decades.

"The public is watching those doing selfish politics very closely. The parties that do not speak on the benefit of farmers in West Bengal are engaged in harassing the citizens of Delhi here in the name of the farmers and are ruining the economy of the country," he said.

Modi also made a veiled attack on the once-potent political force in the state, the Left parties, saying that those who ruled the state for three decades, brought it down and did not do anything for farmers.

Assembly elections are due in West Bengal in April-May next year and the BJP has already launched a massive campaign to unseat Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in the state. Banerjee has been West Bengal's Chief Minister since 2011 after ending 34-year-old Left rule in the state.

"The people following one specific ideology ruled Bengal for 30 years, brought the state down and the whole country knows about it. The parties that do not speak on the benefit of farmers in West Bengal are engaged in harassing the citizens of Delhi here in the name of the farmers and are ruining the economy of the country," he said.

In an apparent attack on Left parties, Modi said, "Parties which are missing APMC-mandis nowadays, but repeatedly forget that there are no APMC-mandis in Kerala. And these people never agitate in Kerala."

The CPI(M) is also leading the LDF government in Kerala.

'Govt willing to talk on all farm issues'

While putting up a strong defence of the three new farm laws, Modi said the Centre is willing to resume the dialogue on all farmers-related issues, even with those staunchly opposed to his government as long as the talks are based on issues, facts and logic.

He asserted that an overwhelming number of farmers across the country have welcomed the new laws and are already reaping the benefits, and listed out the BJP's victory in panchayat elections across states, in which farmers were the main voters and including in areas surrounding protest sites.

He said the parties rejected by the electorate are pushing their own political agenda by misleading farmers.

Referring to the protests, Modi said farmers had some genuine apprehensions about new laws including on MSP guarantee when the agitation started, but soon people with political affiliations came in between and started firing from peasants' shoulders to push their own and unrelated demands.

"You would have seen that when the agitation started their demand was about MSP guarantee. They had genuine issues because they were farmers. But then those with political ideology took over," Modi said.

"MSP, etcetera were pushed aside and now what is happening. They are demanding release from jail of those accused of violence... They want highways toll-free. Why have they shifted from farmer's issues to new demands," he said.

"Despite that, farmers across the country have wholehearted welcome agriculture reforms I assure you that I will not let you down," Modi said.

Modi alleged that the farmers' protest is also being used now for opposing many existing policies.

The programme comes amid protests by various farmer unions against three farm laws recently enacted by the Modi government.

The government has insisted that these reforms are in the interest of farmers.