New Delhi, 8 February, 2021 (TON): PM Modi stated on Monday that playing on the term foreign direct investment “FDI”, the country needs to be aware of the deleterious influences from abroad that he referred to as “foreign destructive ideology”.

He used the term in the context of the ongoing farmers' agitation that has, of late, received support from several global celebrities such as pop artiste Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg.

Recapitulating his invitation for talks with the Sikhs mostly leading the farm protests he said, “This country is proud of Sikhs. What have the Sikhs not done for the nation?" he, however, added that one must be aware of a "new category" of people: "Andolanjeevi," roughly translated as the "agitation being".

"We are all ready to meet and talk. I put forth the invitation today in the House," PM Modi said in the Rajya Sabha today while replying to the Presidential address.

"MSP (minimum support price) has been around, MSP is still around, MSP will remain," he said addressing one of the biggest issues raised by the protesting farmers who fear the new laws will eventually dismantle the MSP system.

Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh have camped outside Delhi over the past two months and more, demanding the repeal of three farm laws that the government claims will reform the sector. The farmers, however, feel these will lead them into a disadvantageous position.

This may be viewed as the PM’s continuum of the aftermath of protests including UN”s urge to ease negotiations between the protestors and government and also to the social media trending handles that resulted removal of about 1,300 accounts.