Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today hit out at the BJP-led central government, saying farmers in the country were at the crossroads and staring at disaster due to its "anti-farmer" policies.
"The question today is not about the plight of farmers in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu or Haryana alone, but peasants across the country are at the crossroads, staring at disaster. The BJP government is pursuing anti-farmer policies," Hooda said at the "Kisan Panchayat" organised to highlight the plight of the farmers across the country here today.
He also condemned death of five cultivators in police firing in Madhya Pradesh and failure of the Centre to provide relief to the farming community.
"The peasants were already getting much less price for their crops, now bullets are being fired upon them when they are asking for their due," Hooda said.
He alleged that the BJP, before the polls, had promised to implement the Swaminathan Commission report, but once it came to power it "forgot about it".
"They promised to give a minimum support price of Rs 2,100 per quintal for wheat, but how much the farmers are getting now. The same goes for the paddy crop.
"It is ironical that farmers who grow cotton, paddy, potato and tomato are getting lower price for their produce, but the prices of products manufactured from these crops-- garments, rice, chips and ketch-up--continue to rise," he said.
Hooda demanded that the government should fix the MSP for crops like potato, tomato and cauliflower.
Pointing out that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh- led UPA government had waived about Rs 72,000 crore of farmers' loans, he said the central government cannot just wash their hands off by leaving it to the states.
"When farmers are demanding loan waiver, ministers in the central government are saying that it is a state subject," he said.
Hooda also hit out at the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in Haryana, saying it had failed on all fronts.
"What is the state of affairs in Haryana, there is acute power shortage. Two-and-a-half years have passed, but they have failed to take even one decision in the interest of farmers," he said.
The former chief minister announced that a 'Maha Kisan Panchayat' will be held at Jind later.
Apart from Congress' Rohtak MP Deepinder Singh Hooda, a number of Haryana Congress MLAs including Kuldeep Sharma, Karan Singh Dalal, Geeta Bhukkal, Raghubir Singh Kadian and former HPCC president Phool Chand Mullana, were among others present.
At the 'Kisan panchayat' today, a 12-point charter of demands was raised and it was later submitted to the Haryana government through the Deputy Commissioner here.
The demands include immediate implementation of Swaminathan Committee recommendation, waiving of farmers' loans, reduction in prices of diesel and to ensure that there is no rise in the prices of agricultural inputs after the introduction of GST.
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