No corporate can snatch away any farmer's land as long as Narendra Modi is Prime Minister of the country, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday and asserted that the provision of MSP will continue and mandis will not be shut down.

Addressing a gathering in Kishangarh village in the national capital, Shah said if farmer organisations felt that any provision of the three new farm laws is against their interests, the Modi government was ready to discuss and consider the same with an open mind.

Shah blamed the Opposition, including Congress, for spreading lies about the minimum support price (MSP) and other provisions of the farm laws.

"The Opposition is speaking brazen lies. I again reiterate that the MSP will continue and the mandis will not be closed. Farmers' welfare is the top-most priority of the Modi government," Shah asserted.

The years-old demand of one and half times MSP on crops has been implemented by the Modi government during 2014-19, he said.

Shah attended Kisan Samman Nidhi event and listened to Prime Minister Modi's video interaction with farmers from several states, along with other BJP leaders at a Gaushala in Kishangarh village.

Modi also reiterated his cabinet colleague's stance after a while.

While addressing the virtual meet, the prime minister sought to allay the fears that private firms might grab farmers' land under a new contract farming law enacted by the Centre, as he listened to success stories about benefits of the new Acts while interacting with peasants from seven states.

In their interaction with the PM, the seven farmers shared their success stories and also highlighted the benefits of recently enacted agri-laws. They also shared their good experience of working with private players under contract farming agreements.

"Sitting in Arunachal Pradesh, you are sure that your land is safe. But some people are spreading a myth that those who enter into a contract (agreement) with a company for sale of crops will also lose their land. So many lies are being spread. I am happy that you have shared your experience," Modi said while interacting with farmer Gagan Parin.

He also said some politicians, for their own agenda, are spreading lies that the laws will impact the farmers.

Parin also said he has received Rs 6,000 as part of the PM-KISAN scheme and used that money for purchase of fertiliser and meeting labour cost.

Sharing his experience with the prime minister, farmer Ram Gulab from Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh said a newly set up FPO with 300 farmers has entered into an agreement for sale of sweet potato with an Ahmedabad-based company.

"Earlier, farmers used to sell sweet potatoes at Rs 10-15 per kg, but now we have entered an agreement for Rs 25 per kg. They will take the produce from the farm field. We need not bear transportation costs and not face middlemen problems," he said.

When Modi asked if he feared losing land (after entering into an agreement), Gulab said: "No sir. Our land will not go." He also said that the new laws will be beneficial for farmers.

Modi said: "Lies are being spread. When people like you talk, there will be confidence in others that no one will lose land, only crops are sold...."

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 is one of the three laws against which farmers, especially from Punjab, are protesting at Delhi borders for nearly a month now.

Clearing the apprehension about the contract farming, Modi said earlier there was a penalty on farmers for violation of a contract agreement. The new law ensures that there is no penalty on farmers.

"We are getting reports of how farmers are taking benefit of the laws. The government is standing with farmers at every step. The government has set up strong legal support to help farmers," he said.

When someone enters into an agreement with a farmer, that person will provide farm inputs and services to farmers to get good produce. In case the crop is damaged, still, those who have entered into an agreement have to give the rate at which it was entered into to a farmer, Modi said.

"He (private party) cannot end an agreement at his will. On the other side, if a farmer wants to end an agreement he can do it. Isn't this in favour of farmers?" the prime minister asked.

Further, Modi said, in case the crop is good and market rates are higher than the agreed price, then a farmer will have to be given the agreed rate and also a bonus above that.

"Earlier, all risk was on farmers and return used to be for others. Now, all risk will be borne by a company that enters (into an agreement) and returns will be for farmers," he added.

Sharing benefits of other farm schemes, farmer M Subramani from Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu talked about how he was able to address the water problem in four acres of land using drip irrigation.

"Earlier, there was water to farm only one acre. Now, I get water for the remaining three acres using drip irrigation. Earlier, I was earning Rs 40,000, now I am getting Rs 1.40 lakh," he said.

Another farmer from Odisha (Naupada district) Naveen Thakur said he has received Rs 10,000 under the PM-KISAN scheme and also got the benefit of a crop loan at a lower interest of 4 per cent rate through Kisan Credit Card.

On benefits of crop diversification, Haryana-based farmer Hari Singh Bishnoi from Fatehabad district said he has diversified to horticulture crops in 10 acres of land, in which he has planted lemon in three acres of land and guava in seven acres of land.

"We sell outside mandis. We are getting more money," he added.

Taking advantage of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Maharashtra-based farmer Ganesh Rajan Bhosle from Latur district said he paid a premium of Rs 2,580 and took crop insurance in 2019. He received a claim of Rs 54,314 for damage to his soybean crop due to excess rains last year.

He also informed the prime minister that his fellow farmers are also associated with this scheme. "This is a good scheme and every farmer is benefitting."