Haryana Cong to launch stir
Non-purchase of paddy
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Oct 19 — Undeterred by the debacle in the Lok Sabha elections in Haryana, the Congress has decided to take on the ruling Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and its ally, the BJP, on the alleged apathy of government agencies regarding purchase of paddy, increase in the price of diesel and the law and order front.

The party plans to hold demonstrations in the districts on these issues. The President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, will lead such demonstrations in Karnal and in Palwal in Faridabad district.

Talking to TNS on the telephone, Mr Hooda charged that various government agencies responsible for purchasing agriculture produce from farmers at the minimum support price were "colluding" with the "mafia" and big traders by keeping away from the sale and purchase of paddy in mandis. In Babarpur, the state agencies had not visited the mandi even once. Consequently, the farmers had been left to the mercy of traders and middlemen. The farmers were being forced to sell grain at prices ranging from Rs 350-Rs 390 per quintal. The government support price for the grain in the "IR" and "PR" categories were Rs 490 and Rs 520 per quintal, respectively.

Mr Hooda said he had visited mandis in Karnal, Samalkha, Panipat, Babarpur, Gharaunda, Kurukshetra. Dhand and Kaithal in the past two days to verify complaints of farmers made to his party.

He alleged while in Samalkha government agencies had procured grain at a price below the support price, which was illegal, at other places personnel of the agencies had not visited the mandis at all.

Referring to the increase in the price of diesel, Mr Hooda said Haryana being predominantly an agriculture society, its farming community would be affected the most. He demanded the government provided suitable compensation to the community.

With regard to the early completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project, the Congress leader said the Chief Ministers of Haryana and Punjab must issue a joint statement on the matter.

While Mr Om Prakash Chautala was saying he would talk to Mr Parkash Singh Badal for early construction of the SYL canal, the latter was asserting that Punjab would not give the Ravi-Beas waters to Haryana. This had created a "comical" situation.

He further demanded that the government should issue a white paper on the availability of water in Haryana and its distribution as he felt the water was not being distributed equitably in the state.

He expressed concern at the deteriorating law and order in Haryana.