Centre can consider law on MSP but first farmers' protest must end: Ramdas Athawale

Asserting the Government's commitment towards farmers, the Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said the Centre can consider a law on minimum support price (MSP) price but the farmers' protest must come to an end.

Speaking to , Athawale said, "In the protest, farmers are majorly from Punjab. I think the government can consider the law on MSP, but the farmers' agitation must come to an end. It has been going on for more than 70 days. Who is responsible for the deaths during the movement? It should have ended after the stay order of the Supreme Court."

'MSP (Minimum Support Price) tha, MSP hai aur MSP rahega' (MSP was there, MSP is there, MSP will remain in the future) said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha on Monday amid the ongoing farmers' protests against the Centre's contentious farm laws.

Reacting to senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's statement that the Prime Minister's speech in Rajya Sabha did not have any substance, Athawale said, "Malikarjun Kharge may have felt that there was no fact in Prime Minister's speech. But it is wrong. Congress always put such allegations."

On Congress leader Shakti Singh Gohil's comment that the Prime Minister did not discuss the subject of China, the Union Minister said, "The Prime Minister will discuss China when the topic will come to Lok Sabha. The issues of farmers and COVID pandemic were important, so he discussed those on priority."

Farmers have been protesting on the borders of Delhi since November 26 last year against the three new farm laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

( With inputs from ANI )