Rashtriya lok Dal (RlD) spokesman Anil Dubey termed the Union government’s announcement on increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) as a ‘half a mouthful for starving people’ and said that there was nothing new in it.
“Union Finance minister Arun Jaitely had already announced the same in the budget. It is beyond anybody’s comprehension that the BJP was giving it a hype claiming it as a historical decision,” Dube hit back at the BJP in lucknow on Thursday.
The RlD leader said that PM Narendra Modi had promised the same ahead of the 2014 general elections.
“It is strange that the PM was making an announcement at the fag end of his government’s tenure and at the time of Kharif season,” he commented.
Dubey said that the Union government had promised to announce MSP in a way that the farmers got maximum benefit but it was announced with a rider and on different pattern. He said that the RlD will launch a ‘Chaupal’ campaign to make farmers aware about the double speak of the BJP.
“The awareness campaign will cover all districts of the satte and will be launched on July 13 and conclude on August 10,” he announced.
On the other hand, UP secretary of CPI(M), Heera lal Yadav termed the Modi government’s announcement to increase cost of farm produce by 1.5 times and implementing the report of Swaminathan Commission as farce.
“The Union government was misrepresenting the recommendations in Swaminathan Commission report and the announcement is just a hollow promise,” Yadav said.
He said that the Modi government aimed at wooing the farmers in the coming 2019 general elections and was hence was making these populous announcements.
Speaking on the MSP , Yadav said that the price declared by the Union government was below the MSP proposed by the state governments, including thoe ruled led by BJP, last year.
“As per a rough estimate, there is a big difference between the price announced by the Centre and calculation made in view of recommendation as per Swaminathan Commission. The difference in price of paddy is Rs 600 while for pulses it is Rs 1800-2000,” he pointed out.
The CPI (M) leader stressed that his party would support the farmers and demand the complete implementation of the recommendation of Swaminathan Commission.