The BJP’s ruling coalition partner in Haryana, the Jannayak Janata Party, on Tuesday suggested that the Centre should give a written assurance to the farmers that the minimum support price system will continue.
The statement by JJP president Ajay Chautala comes on the day independent MLA Sombir Sangwan withdrew support to the BJP-JJP Government in the State.
Sombir has extended his support to the farmers protesting against the new farm laws.
While the Centre has said the MSP system will continue, many protesting farmers are seeking an assurance in writing, if not a repeal of the new laws. Some are suggesting an amendment to the laws, adding the assurance.
Chautala said the assurance on the MSP has been repeatedly made by the Centre, including by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
So what is the harm in adding and writing that line, the former MP said while talking to the mediapersons in Sirsa, shortly before the talks between farmers and the Centre began in Delhi.
He said that the Centre has invited farmers for talks and we want that there should be a solution to this at the earliest. We have requested those in the government that a solution to the farmers’ problems should be found, he added.
Notably, thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been protesting at the borders of the national capital, seeking the withdrawal of the laws meant to deregulate the sale of crops.
Responding to a question, Chautala said that most of Haryana’s crops are procured at the MSP.
Ajay Singh Chautala’s son Dushyant Chautala is Haryana’s Deputy Chief Minister.
Earlier, the JJP has accused the opposition parties of “misleading” farmers on the central laws, and Dushyant Chautala had even said he will quit his post if there is any attempt to discontinue the MSP.
Opposition parties in Haryana have attacked the BJP’s ally of ignoring the farmers’ problems to stick to power.
Two months ago, a group of farmers from Haryana had protested outside the Sirsa home of Dushyant Chautala, seeking his resignation from the Manohar Lal Khattar government over the issue.
On September 20, JJP MLAs Jogi Ram Sihag and Ram Karan Kala had participated in Haryana farmers’ protests against the new laws, going against their party’s stand on the issue. Sihag had also refused to accept his appointment by the State Government as chief of the Haryana Housing Board.
Independent MLA from Dadri, Sombir Sangwan, on Tuesday withdrew support to the BJP-JJP Government in Haryana. A day earlier, he
had resigned as chairman of the State’s livestock development board.
Instead of sympathising with the farmers’ cause, this government used all measures like water cannons and tear gas to stop them from marching to Delhi. I cannot continue my support to such a government, Sangwan said.
The 90-member Haryana Assembly has 40 BJP MLAs and 10 from the ally JJP. The Congress has a strength of 31.