Responding to Congress President Sonia Gandhi's jibe that the Narendra Modi-led Government was 'anti-farmer', the BJP President Amit Shah said here on Sunday that by not re-promulgating the land ordinance, the government had proved it was farmer-friendly and that every farmer in this country had welcomed the move.
"Prime Minister Modi addressed the farmers of the nations in his Mann ki Baat address. His decision that the ordinance will not be extended after August has been welcomed by the farmers across the nation and I thank the Prime Minister for his decision," Shah told ANI here.
He stressed that this move by the government was not a sign of defeat, nor was it a u-turn, as the opposition had been calling it.
"Farmers have voted heavily for the BJP in the recent state assembly elections. Our victory in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bengaluru was because of the support of the farmers. They believe in us," the BJP President said.
He asserted that by making the decision to not promulgate land ordinance but include 13 points to reform land law, the Prime Minister had cleared the rumors that the BJP was anti-farmer in any way.
Prime Minister Modi had earlier today made it clear that his government will not promulgate land ordinance in the 11th edition of his radio address 'Mann Ki Baat'.
"We are ready to amend land acquisition act to benefit farmers, who were subjected to misinformation leading to a lot of apprehension in their minds on the law. I have decided that the Land ordinance be allowed to lapse," he said.
