We are ready to talk but formers not obeying: Sadananda Gowda

Mysuru, Feb 6: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizer D V Sadananda Gowda on Saturday defended and said that though the country got Independence in 1947, farmers are yet to experience it, by amending the farm laws, the Union government trying to help farmers to sell their produce in the open market.

Speaking to newsmen here on Saturday, he said farmers have become puppets in the hands of middlemen and they are unable to sell their produce freely. If they can make some extra money by selling their produce in the open market, why not, he questioned , they don’t understand the logic behind their protest. Why should they be at the mercy of APMC yards? they should be free to sell their produce wherever they want. Vested interests are allegedly provoking farmers to protest, we are ready to discuss the burning issues but famers are not ready to come to the table even if the government had talked as many as eleven rounds with them, he added.

Training his guns on pop singer Rihanna who has spoken in support of the farmers, Mr Gowda said ‘ what does she know about farming? Does she know anything about farmers problems, does she know how farmers sell their produce in the market ? she must be talking at the behest of vested interests, he added.