PM Modi targets Opposition: ‘not with farmers, youth or soldiers’

Speaking at the inauguration of six projects related to the Namami Gange mission in Uttarakhand, via video conference, Modi said: “They are opposing the independence of the farmer. These people are now insulting farmers by setting on fire the goods and equipment that farmers worship.” Youth Congress workers from Punjab set a tractor on fire near India Gate on Monday.

Reiterating that the MSP (minimum support price) system would not be scrapped, Modi said: “The country has freed its farmers from many restrictions. Now, the farmer can sell his produce to anyone, anywhere. But today, when the central government is giving the farmers their rights, these people are protesting.”

“Aaj desh dekh raha hai ki kaise kuchh log sirf virodh ke liye virodh kar rahe hain (The country is watching how some people are opposing just for the sake of opposing),” he said.

“Today, these people are spreading confusion among farmers about MSP. The MSP will remain and the freedom of farmers to sell their produce anywhere will also remain. Some people are unable to accept this freedom. One of their means of generating black money has ended, so they have problems,” he said.

He said the Opposition had also criticised the government on other issues including the jan dhan scheme, GST, one rank-one pension, surgical strikes, Rafale acquisition, Statue of Unity and Ram temple. “Yeh log na kisan ke saath hain, na naujawan ke saath, aur na hee jawan ke saath (these people are neither with the farmer, nor with the youth, nor with the soldiers),” he said.

“It has become their habit to oppose everything that is happening for the country. Their only way in politics is opposition,” he said. “With passage of time, these people who oppose and protest are becoming irrelevant for the country and society… A party, whose four generations of a family ruled the country, wants to fulfill its selfish interests by riding on the shoulders of others, and opposing everything related to national interest,” he said.

Modi also inaugurated the Ganga Avalokan Museum at Haridwar, released a book “Rowing Down the Ganges”, and the new logo for the Jal Jeevan Mission. He unveiled guidelines for village panchayats and water committees under the Jal Jeevan Mission, and announced a 100-day campaign to be launched on October 2 to ensure drinking water connection to every school and anganwadi in the country.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare on Tuesday released its latest data on kharif crop procurement. Up to September 28, paddy procurement was 3,164 metric tonnes in Haryana and 13,256 metric tonnes in Punjab, with a total MSP value of Rs 31 crore at MSP of Rs 1,888 per quintal, from 1,443 farmers.