BJP’s conspiracy to ruin farmers: Selja

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 19

Congress general secretary and former Union Minister Kumari Selja today said that the successive governments of the BJP at the Centre did not increase the MSP of crops every year as was done by the Congress governments. Neither the Vajpayee government nor the Modi government, which has been in power for 10 years, addressed concerns of farmers.

‘Congress govt was pro-farmer’

Under the leadership of Manmohan Singh, the Congress government presented evidence of being pro-farmer by increasing the MSP of crops every year. — Kumari Selja, Cong general secretary

BJP Did not address farmers’ concerns

Neither the Vajpayee government nor the Modi government, which has been in power for 10 years, addressed concerns of farmers. The BJP has been making false promises to the farmers over the years.

Under the leadership of Manmohan Singh, the Congress government presented evidence of being pro-farmer by increasing the MSP of crops every year, she said in a statement released to the media.

Selja said from 1999 to 2004, there was a BJP-led government in the country. During its tenure, the government increased the prices of rice by 14%, which remained only 2.3% annually. However, during the Congress-led government of Manmohan Singh, there was a total increase of 143% in the MSP of rice, which was recorded at 14.3% annually. Since 2014, the Modi government has only increased the prices of rice by 54.1%, meaning an annual increase of only 6%.

During the BJP alliance government from 1999 to 2004, there was a total increase of 10.3% in the MSP of wheat, which was recorded at 1.7% annually. After that, during the Congress-led government, there was an increase of 126%, which was recorded at 12.7% annually. In contrast, during the 10 years of the Modi government, there has been an increase of only 39.3% compared to the Congress’s 126%.

Kumari Selja said during the Manmohan Singh government , not only rice and wheat, but the prices of every crop were increased by two and a half to three times (150-200%). However, during the Modi government, there has been an increase of only 50%.

Meanwhile, during this period, the cost of farming has increased several times. Taxes have been imposed on farming and farming-related equipment. The former Union Minister said the Congress never imposed any tax on farming. In contrast, the Modi government reduced the weight of the fertiliser bag from 50 kg to 40 kg. The quantity of nitrogen has been reduced. This will force farmers to use more fertiliser, increasing their expenses. The electricity given to the farmers has been made expensive and despite the cheap crude oil, diesel prices have not been reduced, increasing the cost of crops. This shows that the BJP government has always conspired to financially ruin the farmers.

Selja said the “adverse effects” of the BJP’s “authoritarian policies” were now affecting the entire country’s economy and the people had also realised very well that bringing the BJP to power was a big mistake. The people of the country and the states were fully prepared to give a befitting reply to the authoritarianism of the BJP government through their votes in the forthcoming parliamentary and assembly polls, she said.

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