Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday slammed the NDA Government, in a two-minute video message, “for no resolution in the ongoing farmers’ protest”.
Taking on to the microblogging website — Twitter, Sidhu posted his video saying, “Farmers are not seeking loan waiver nor subsidy, they are fighting for rightful income and fair prices. Instead of fully implementing Swaminathan’s C2 Formula, the government is taking away their assured income. They promised to double farmers' income but gave Rs 6,000 (500 per month) lollipop.”
Sidhu, in the short clip, questioned what had been given to the farmers. “In 1970, the farmers used to get the MSP (minimum support price) of Rs 73 per quintal on wheat, while a professor was getting a salary of Rs 90 that time, and his salary today has increased by 300 or 400 times, big employees in the corporate got salary 1000 times higher than what they used to get then, but farmers MSP increased by just 19 per cent,” he said asking what is the farmers’ mistake.
“Are you joking by giving farmers Rs 6,000? You are talking about giving farmers Rs 450 a month. He (farmer) should get Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000 a day considering all the calculations (of inputs)…prices increased due to diesel rates,” he said.
Sidhu pointed out that in 1992, diesel rates were Rs six, and wheat was Rs 350 and paddy Rs 270. “Today, the diesel is Rs 80, which is 17 times, while the MSP is 1500, 1800…which is not even five times…what’s worse,” he said while adding that the farmers' income should be Rs 15,000 to 18,000 every month.
Taking on the Centre, he said that there was “nothing for the farmers” in what the Centre is offering them through the Acts, but “just a lollipop".