Farm laws brought for benefit of farmers, withdrawn in the interests of the country: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh "is working transparently" in the case involving allegations that Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son ran over protesting farmers.

Ashish Mishra, the main accused in the murder of four farmers and a journalist, has been in jail since October, but his father Ajay Mishra continues to be in PM Modi's government as Minister of State for Home despite opposition demands for his sacking.

PM Modi, speaking to news agency ANI a day before the first phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh, was responding to opposition allegations that the BJP shielded its own from action or investigation.

"The state government gave its consent for whatever committee the Supreme Court wanted, for whichever judge the Supreme Court wanted for the probe. The state government is working transparently," the Prime Minister said.

On October 3, Ashish Mishra was allegedly driving the SUV that ran over farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri protesting against three controversial farm laws. He was arrested days later.

PM Modi contended that farm laws were brought by the Central government for the benefit of farmers and were withdrawn in the interests of the country.

"I have said this earlier also that farm laws were brought in for the benefit of farmers, but have now been withdrawn in the interest of the nation. I don't think this needs to be explained anymore. Future events will make it clear why these steps were necessary," the PM told ANI.

“The government has no business to do business. Its job is to think about food for the poor, make houses and toilets for them, get them clean drinking water, make health facilities available to them, make roads, to think about the small farmers. This is my priority,” he said.

He also contended that probe agencies were recovering national wealth in corruption cases, and the government should be lauded for it.