Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah not to displease the protesting farmers.
The farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws for over four months now.
If the government gives a guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for the crops then the farmers may show some confidence in the government, said Malik addressing an event in his home district in Meghalaya.
The governor also said that he saved the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait from arrest after hearing the rumours of his arrest.
In his address Malik told that earlier also, he had requested the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to not be harsh against the farmers and not let the farmers to return home with empty hands.
“None of the laws are in favour of farmers. The country in which farmers and soldiers are not satisfied, that country cannot move ahead. That country cannot be saved. Hence, the Army and farmers should be kept satisfied,” Malik urged the Prime Minister and the Home Minister not to dissatisfy the farmers.
Throwing his analogy the governor said, “They are getting poorer day by day while the salary of government officials and staff increases after every three years. Whatever is sown by a farmer is cheap and whatever he buys is expensive.”
“They do not know how they are becoming poor. The ‘satyanaash‘ (annihilation) of the farmers is taking place without their knowledge. When they go to sow (crops), there is some price, and when they go to reap it, the price decreases by almost ₹ 300,” said Malik.
Jibing at the favours offered by the central government for the new farm laws, he said, “A lot of noise was created that farmers can now sell (crops) at any place. This is a 15-year-old law. Despite this, when a farmer from Mathura goes to Palwal with wheat, there is a lathicharge on him. When a farmer from Sonipat comes to Narela, there is a lathicharge on him.”
“There are many questions of farmers, which must be answered. Today, there is no law in favour of farmers. This has to be corrected. I want to assure you that in the matter of farmers, I will go to any extent to solve their problems,” said the Meghalaya governor.
Pointing the protesting Sikh farmers Malik said, “The Sikh community does not back down and forget things even after 300 years.”
