Reliance Industries (RIL) has said that it is not in the business of corporate or contract farming and has no plans to enter this business, the Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate said in a statement on Monday, clarifying its position in the backdrop of the farmers’ protest.
RIL said it is filing a petition later in the day at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking urgent intervention by government authorities to stop the “illegal acts of vandalism by miscreants.” The company said it does not do “corporate or contract farming” and has not bought “any agricultural land, directly or indirectly, in Punjab/Haryana or anywhere else in India, for the purpose of “corporate” or “contract” farming.” Its retail unit which sells food grains and staples, fruits and vegetables and items of daily use through its stores, “does not purchase any food grains directly from farmers,” the statement said. RIL will also file a petition today, January 4, at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking urgent intervention by the government to stop the “illegal acts of vandalism by miscreants.” RIL said that it does not procure food grains directly from farmers and its suppliers buy from farmers only at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) level.
Hundreds of farmers have been protesting against the three central farm laws passed as they fear that it will only hurt them while benefitting the corporate giants like Reliance industries. Earlier, some of the protesters had allegedly vandalised Reliance Jio mobile towers. RIL urged the High Court to issue a suitable order to help protect its employees and property from vandalism.
