Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ignoring the plight of farmers, who were affected with unseasonal rains in the country, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh said that Modi is more interested in visiting foreign countries rather than visiting the rain affected areas or enquiring about the trauma suffered by the farmers.
“The PM is now busy in his scheduled foreign visit to France, Germany and Canada and was least interested in the farmers woes,” he alleged and claimed that no Union Minister have paid a visit to the rain-affected areas and the compensation to them also been delayed by the Centre.
He said Congress president Sonia Gandhi had already visited Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana to meet the farmers who suffered heavy loss in the rains. “But Mr Modi nor his ministers didn’t have time to hear the problems and grievances of the farmers,’’ he alleged.
Talking to reporters here on Tuesday morning, Ramesh also alleged that the BJP-led NDA government was taking anti-farmers decisions like freezing of MSP of the foodgrains and withdrawing the bonus provided to the farmers by the previous UPA government.
He said the delay in releasing the compensation by the Centre is condemnable and it shows the apathetic attitude of the BJP government towards the farmers. Disclosing that for the first time the Union government is importing wheat, he said it is eminent that the government is anticipating low production of wheat whereas the procurement has also been less.
Claiming that the unseasonal rains would certainly give rise to inflation of food grains and essential commodities, the senior congress leader claimed that the Modi government has failed to provide any relief to the common man. and questioned “where is the so called promise of achche din”.