Small, Marginal Farmers would benefit from Farm Reforms, says PM Modi

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that small and marginal farmers would benefit from the new farm laws.

He said that his government wants to correct the "mistakes" of previous regimes that did not respect worthy warriors and leaders while laying the foundation stone for a statue of warrior king Suheldev in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district through video conferencing. He said that on behalf of national firms, those who had created laws to put in international companies are now causing terror. 

‘Farmers themselves expose those who disseminate false information about farm laws,’ he said. Small and marginal farmers will benefit from the new farm reforms and, he said, positive experiences have come from Uttar Pradesh since the new laws. 

The remarks of the Prime Minister come in the midst of the ongoing farmers stir on the borders of Delhi against the three agri-laws. Modi, who launched numerous schemes for Shravasti, Chittora Lake and Bahraich, said Maharaja Suheldev's contribution has not been given due significance in history books, however he resides in the hearts of people. 

Modi accused previous governments of not honoring deserving leaders such as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and B R Ambedkar in his thirty-minute speech. He said the history of Bharat is not just what those with the mindset of slavery have written. It is also embedded through 'lok gathas' in the common people. It is time to remember their contribution, their sacrifice and take inspiration from them, he said, as the country enters the 75th year of its independence. 

Giving an example, he asked whether due recognition was given to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, who was the first prime minister of the Azad Hind government, or his contribution to Azad Hind Fauj. 

Today we have strengthened his identity from the Red Fort to Andaman Nicobar, before the country and the world he has said. He also referred to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, recalling his contribution after Independence to the unification of smaller states in the country, and said that even children of the country are aware of what was done with him. The Prime Minister said on Ambedkar his contribution was also only looked at through the political prism, but now all places connected with Ambedkar are being developed as panch teerth from India to England. 

The ventures announced by Modi in Bahraich include the construction of the warrior king Suheldev's 4.20-metre high equestrian statue. The ventures will also concentrate on creating different visitor services, including a cafeteria, a guest house and a children's park. In a battle on the banks of Chittora Lake in Bahraich in 1033, King Su Heldev, an emblem of the Rajbhar clan, defeated and killed Ghaznavid General Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud.  

Since coming to power, the Modi government has taken concerted action to respect the medieval king. In remembrance of Suheldav, the prime minister issued a postal stamp and flagged the 'Suheldev Express' superfast train, which runs tri-weekly between Ghazipur in Purvanchal and Anand Vihar in Delhi. 

A significant percentage of the Purvanchal electorate is made up of Rajbhar community members, who consider Suheldev as their icon. After the Yadavs in eastern Uttar Pradesh, they are regarded as the second politically dominant force to reckon with. From time to time, various parties have been trying to woo them for electoral support, political observers say. The statue was unveiled in Lucknow at an important road crossing.