Bhubaneswar: There are a lot of discrepancies in the demands put forward by farmers and the Opposition parties are trying to create confusion over the new farm laws for political gains, said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday.
Speaking exclusively to OTV, Pradhan said, "No farmer will lose their land and they will be benefited from the contract farming, said the Union Minister adding that some vested interest groups and organisations with left ideology are using the agitation against the Centre.
“Farmers have been misled on the farm laws and there is a need to create awareness among them. Not only government-regulated APMCs, the farmers can sell their produce wherever they get appropriate or maximum price,” said Pradhan.
Earlier in the name of essential commodities act, there was a provision to stock goods at designated places which created problems in the free movement of produces and market opportunities. We are ready to amend the things which are creating problems for the farmers, the Union Minister said.
The issue of Minimum Support Price (MSP) was not part of any law. At present the farmers' agitation has deviated from its path as efforts are now on to support the anti-national forces, said Pradhan.
The union minister further added that there will be no lease contract for land and only the owner of the land can contract their produce. Except for Rahul Gandhi, everyone is accepting it. Those who were raising slogans (Tukde Tukde gang) against the country are now trying to prove themselves as the messiah of the farmers,” said Pradhan.
The Union Minister also took a jibe at Odisha government on the entire matter.
“The farmers in Bargarh are staging demonstrations over distress sale. The Centre is releasing funds and it is the responsibility of the State government to ensure that the benefits reach the farmers. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik in 2015 had announced in Bargarh to provide Rs 100 bonus over MSP but nothing has been done so far,” Pradhan added.