Farmers’ protest politically motivated: Minister
New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday said the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU)-led farmers’ protest was politically motivated.
“There is a reason behind it. Because this is an election year… For so many people there are different motives. That is the only reason. Otherwise, farmers across the country are very satisfied and thankful to the Modi government,” Shekhawat said.
He said the Modi government had announced assured Minimum Support Price (MSP) with 50 per cent of profit over the cost of production but the farmers were not concerned about the formula used while fixing MSP.
The protest by thousands of farmers at the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border turned violent on Tuesday as they tried to break barricades and run them over with tractors to enter the national capital, forcing police to use water cannons and tear gas.