Gandhinagar, Dec 14 (IANS): Union Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala on Monday said that the three new agriculture laws brought by the Modi government were introduced on the demand of almost all the farmers' organisations and they backed these bills. Only a handful of farmers instigated by the Congress were opposing them.

Rupala said, "The three new agriculture reform bills brought by the Modi government were on the demand of almost all of the farmers organisations in the country and these organisations are backing them. It is only on the instigation of the opposition Congress that a handful of farmers are opposing them."

The minister was speaking to the media at the BJP state headquarters 'Kamalam' on Monday. He was clarifying about the agricultural reforms laws brought by the Modi government and which are being opposed by Punjab and Haryana farmers.

When asked how many farmers organisations had demanded or recommended the three new legislations Rupala said, "Almost all of the organisations were consulted before bringing these bills. Every one of these organisations had demanded such bills." But when asked to name any of these organisations, the minister did not reply.

"These bills were brought in the Parliament following due process and after detailed discussions and debate in the House. It is not that we had not taken these bills to the public prior to bringing in the legislations. I myself had consulted many of the farmers organisations," added Rupala.

"The Modi government procured agricultural produce at MSP 4 times than that of the UPA 2 government. The Congress did not even remember or mention the Swaminathan Report recommendations, but after the Modi government came to power, suddenly they started remembering the Swaminathan report recommendations," said Rupala.

"If you compare the UPA II government's MSP, there is an increase of 75% by the Modi government. The agricultural production has increased 4 times and there is a need to create additional resources and infrastructure for its procurement, storage, distribution, marketing and transportation and it was imperative to find new alternatives. And it is for this that the new agricultural reform bills have been brought," added Rupala.