BKU to show black flags to Prime Minister

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 9

Leaders of the BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) on Monday announced to show black flags to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Malout visit on July 11 to lodge their protest against the government’s ‘failure to implement’ the Swaminathan Commission report.

Addressing a press conference, BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) state president Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and other leaders said, “The MSP hike announced by the Union government recently is nothing but a poll stunt with an eye on the coming Lok Sabha elections. The alliance partners of the BJP are making false claims that they’ve got the Swaminathan Commission report implemented. Their claims are far from reality.”

They said the paddy MSP today stood at Rs 1,750 per quintal while that of cotton at Rs 5,150 per quintal, which would ideally have been increased to Rs 3,222 for paddy and Rs 10,500 for cotton, had the report been actually implemented.

They lashed out at the government for imposing GST on agricultural inputs and resorting to demonetisation, which took a toll on farming and allied activities.

They said the government had increased the MSP of those crops, most of which it doesn’t purchase, and therefore, it is nothing but mere eyewash.

They added that the farmers would gain nothing out of the government move. They accused the Centre of duping the farmers and failing to protect their interests.