Farmers Getting Poorer Day By Day, Government Officials Richer: Meghalaya Governor

Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik, on Sunday, March 14, taking the side of farmers protesting against the new agriculture laws, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah not to offend them.

Speaking at an event in Baghpat, Malik said that the farmers would back down if the central government gives them the legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, reported NDTV.

Urging the Prime Minister and Home Minister, Malik said, "None of the laws are in favour of farmers. A country cannot move ahead, and it cannot be saved if that country's farmers and soldiers are not satisfied. Farmers and soldiers of a country should always be satisfied. I had requested the Prime Minister and the home minister not to use any kind of force against them and also requested not to send the farmers back with an empty hand."

The governor said farmers are in bad condition and are getting poorer day by day. On the other hand, the salary of the government official and staff increases after every three years.

"Farmers do not know how they are becoming poor. The annihilation (satyanaash) of farmers is taking place without their knowledge. When they sow (crops), there is some price, and when they go to reap it, the price decreases by almost ₹300," said the governor.

When asked about his thoughts on the arguments that support farm laws, Malik said, "Lots of buzz was created that farmers can sell their crops at any place. This is a 15-year-old law, and despite that, when farmers from Mathura goes to Palwal with wheat, they are lathicharged. When a farmer from Sonipat comes to Narela, he has to face a lathicharge. Farmers questions must be answered. There is no law today that favours farmers. This has to be corrected, and I assure everyone that to solve farmers' problems, I will go to any extent."

He also claimed that Rakesh Tikait's arrest was also prevented by him. Referring to the Sikh farmers who are protesting, Malik said, "The Sikh community does not back down and forget things even after 300 years."

Remembering an incident related to former PM Indira Gandhi, Satya Pal Malik said, "After the Operation Blue Star, Indira Gandhi chanted the 'Mahamrityunjay Mantra' for a month. Arun Nehru told me that when he asked her that she does not have faith in such rituals, then why was she performing these, she said, 'you don't know, I have damaged their Akal Takht. They will not spare me'."