Cong alleges ‘organic cotton scam’ in MP

Terming it the “biggest-ever cotton scam” in the country, Congress on Saturday launched a major attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi led-BJP government over the alleged organic cotton scam in Madhya Pradesh.

Veteran Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijay Singh has alleged an organic cotton scam, worth Rs 2 to 3 lakh crore, in Madhya Pradesh at the party’s 9-A Kotla office in New Delhi.

He demanded an investigation into the case by a CBI-led SIT under the supervision of a High Court judge.

“The traders fraudulently formed groups of farmers named ICS (Internal Control System) and fraud was done in organic cotton production and subsidy in their name. These ICS were registered without the knowledge of the farmers, while certificates were issued in their names and non-organic cotton was sold in the international market at three times the price by calling it organic,” said Singh.

He claimed that a total of 6046 ICS were active in the state and an average of 500 farmers have been added to each ICS. About 12 lakh farmers have been affected by this scam, he said.

As per Singh, these farmers were supposed to get subsidy for organic farming for three years, but this money went directly to the traders and 98% of the farmers were not even aware of it.

The former CM of MP said he had complained about this scam in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in response to which the recognition of one ICS institution was cancelled.

He demanded that action should be taken against all fake ICS, farmers should get compensation and criminal cases should be should be filed against the culprits.