Yadav refutes Rahul's charge

Refuting Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi's reported charge in the Lok Sabha on the non-payment of dues to sugarcane farmers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said the state government had cleared the arrears of the previous year as well as the current fiscal.

However, he said there were cane dues of 2003-04 but his party was not in power at that time.

Responding to a notice of propriety given by Jagadambika Pal and Pramod Tewari (Congress) in this regard during the zero hour in the Assembly, he said the state Congress leaders were not providing Rahul the correct information.

Accusing the Congress of "succumbing" to the pressure of industrialists and effecting changes in the state's policies, Yadav said his government had never entered into any kind of agreement with the industrialists.

He said it was the Congress, which had in the past effected changes in policies under pressure from the industrialists.

Yadav alleged that Pal had written to him for extending favours to an industrialist but refused to divulge the contents of the letter despite the Congress leader's repeated insistence.

He also charged the BJP with having tacit understanding with the industrialists and compromising the interest of the cane farmers.

Leader of the Opposition Lalji Tandon refuted the charge and urged the chair to expunge the remarks.

Earlier Pal and Tewari alleged that the sugar mills still owed Rs 517 crore in cane dues for the year 2002-03.