New Delhi, December 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a gathering in his home-state of Gujarat on Tuesday, reiterated his defence of the new farm laws that have evoked massive agrarian protests around Delhi. The new laws, said Modi, are aimed at farmers' welfare and would not be detrimental towards their interests in any manner.

The unrest which has erupted on Delhi's borders, where farmers from neigbouring states are involved in a sit-in demonstration over the past 19 days, has been stoked by the Opposition, the Prime Minister claimed. The protesting farmers are "misguided" and the government is ready to address all their apprehensions, he added. 'Cauliflower at Rs 1 Per Kg': Anguished Farmer in Bihar's Samastipur Runs Tractor Over His Entire Unharvested Field (Watch Video).

"The agriculture reforms that have taken place are exactly what farmer bodies and even Opposition have been asking over the years. Government of India is always committed to farmer welfare and we will keep assuring the farmers and addressing their concerns," Modi said in Kutch, where he arrived on an official visit today.

"People who are sitting in the Opposition and misleading farmers today were in the favour of these farm reforms during their government. They could not make a decision during their government. Today when the nation has taken a historical step then these people are misleading farmers," he added.

Modi, in an apparent bid to allay concerns over the laws that provided a formal structure to contractual farming, said there is no ploy to allow anyone to takeover the farmers' lands. The rumours should stop, he said, while citing the example of dairy farmers.

"A conspiracy is going on around Delhi to confuse farmers. They are being scared that after the new agriculture reforms the land of farmers will be occupied by others. Tell me, if a dairy has a contract of collecting milk from you, do they take away your cattle too?" he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 15, 2020 04:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).