The government on Wednesday informed Lok Sabha that the government has “no record" of the deaths of the farmers who died during the year-long agitation demanding repeal of the three contentious farm laws and hence there was no question of providing financial assistance to anyone.
In a reply to the Opposition’s query on whether the Centre will grant financial assistance to the families of the farmers who lost their lives during the year-long protest, Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar told Lok Sabha, "(The) Ministry of Agriculture has no record in the matter, and hence the question (of aid) does not arise."
Apart from the main demand of repeal of the three contentious laws - that have now been officially repealed by the Parliament - more than a year-long agitation has demanded withdrawal of cases against the farmers during the time of the agitation and paying compensation to and rehabilitation of the families of the martyred farmers, who lost their lives during the same time.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that a committee would be formed to take decisions on the subjects of promoting zero budgeting-based agriculture, changing crop patterns as per the changing needs of the country, and making MSP more effective and transparent.
He made the announcement during his address to the nation in which he also stated that the government has decided to repeal the three farm laws, which were at the centre of protests by farmers for the past year.
