Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed support yet again for the controversial farm laws on Tuesday, while the agitation of the farmers entered 20th day in Gujarat's Kutch.
The PM led government has made it clear that they would not scrap the farm laws, which is the principal demand of the farmers' movement.
Modi said his government will address the farmers' concerns. However, he also alleged that the opposition party misleading the famers on the new farm laws to divert their attention.
"The agriculture reforms that have taken place are exactly what farmer bodies and even opposition parties have been asking over the years," the Prime Minister said.
"The Government of India is always committed to farmers' welfare and we will keep assuring the farmers and addressing their concerns," he added while he addressing a ceremony.
PM Modi had marked the government's line last month in his monthly radio address Mann ki Baat, expressing support for the laws three days after the farmers started their "Delhi Chalo" protest.
Since then, the government had held several rounds of talks with the farmers, one was even attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. But no resolution has been in sight with the farmers rejecting the government's offer of bringing amendments in the laws. Last week, the BJP had claimed that the Congress was contradicting its own plans to incite farmers and oppose the government. During the UPA rule, the Congress and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party supported what are now key provisions of the farm laws, the party said.
On Monday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the government is engaging with them to decide on the next date of talks deadlocked after five rounds. "The meeting will definitely happen. We are engaging with farmers," Tomar said.
