No plans to enter the contract farming business, states Reliance

The Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has stated with regards to the Farmers' protest. The company, has further, sought the intervention of law in the vandalism acts by "miscreants". Thus, it has filed a petition in Punjab and Haryana High Court. As Reliance puts it, "these acts of violence have endangered the lives of thousands of its employees. It has caused damage and disruption to the vital communications infrastructure, sales and service outlets run by its subsidiaries in the two states."

It urged the High Court to issue a suitable order to help protect its employees and property from vandalism. Some vested interests and business rivals were behind the vandalism, the company said.

Why were the protestors attacking Reliance Industries' Infrastructure?

Many farmers in the two states had reportedly been venting their anger against Reliance Industries. They have snapped power supply, cut cables of telecom towers, and damaged Jio's infrastructure. They apparently viewed the Mukesh Ambani and Reliance as one of the major beneficiaries of the new farm laws. The protestors put out of action, over 1,500 of Jio's 9,000 telecom towers in Punjab alone in December. Further, in November, some groups of farmers had shut down Reliance Fresh stores in parts of Punjab.

According to the company, these vested interests were taking advantage of the farmers' agitation to launch an "incessant, malicious, and motivated vilification campaign against Reliance".

What does Reliance have to say on the matter?

RIL on Monday said that it has no plans to enter contract or corporate farming. The company, further, has committed to empower farmers. RIL has never bought agricultural land for corporate or contract farming and had no plans to do so either, the conglomerate said in a statement. It also said that its subsidiary Reliance Retail does not purchase food grains directly from farmers. "We shall insist on our suppliers to strictly abide by the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism, and/or any other mechanism for remunerative price for farm produce, as may be determined and implemented by the government," the company said in the statement.

The company said it had "never entered into long-term procurement contracts to gain unfair advantage over farmers or sought that its suppliers buy from farmers at less than remunerative prices, nor will it ever do so."

Read the full media statement here.