Prime Minister Narendra Modi  said he was pained by the sufferings of the farmers and farm workers and vowed to take steps to make his government sensitive towards their issues.

Addressing farmers and farm labourers in his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi said he did not imagine that farmers and villagers would pose so many questions to him.

The prime minister said he was pained to hear about farmers losing their yield due to rain or not getting fertilizers on time or being forced to drink dirty water. He said he felt sad about such happenings.

“When I thought of doing ‘Mann Ki Baat’ with farmers, I did not imagine these many questions would be asked,” he said.

“I was amazed to know how active and aware you are… I learnt about your pain after reading your letters,” he said, assuring them of making the government more sensitive towards rural India.

Addressing the country’s farmers in his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi said: “I am perplexed to learn about so many rumours spread against the bill (land acquisition).”

Modi said the law was 120 years old and has been in force for over 60 years since India gained independence. Therefore, it needed some amendments to benefit the farmers.

“This bill is aimed at the welfare of farmers and villages,” Modi said, adding that the “rumours were anti-farmer” and were meant to keep the farmers poor and backward.

“If states have objection to amendments in land acquisition bill, they can continue with the old law,” Modi said.

Slamming those opposing the bill, Modi said political leaders who were protesting against the bill have governed under the old law which has failed to benefit the farmers in the last 60 years.

“With this Mann Ki Baat, the administration will get a strong message to resolve your issues,” Modi added.