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Congress MLAs Rana Gurjeet, Khaira in war of words over purchase of maize at MSP
Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira said Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh is ready to pay MSP on maize crops in Punjab for two years basically because he owns ethanol plants himself and needs maize
Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has criticised his bête noire Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh after the latter promised farmers that he would buy their maize crop on minimum support price (MSP) for two years for his ethanol-related projects at an event at Maur Mandi in Bathinda on Sunday.
Khaira accused Kapurthala legislator of propagating the BJP model of private purchase of crops in Punjab.
“Rana Gurjeet is giving such statements as it will flourish his own business of ethanol plants. It is surprising that a leader who considers himself as a farmer comes up with an offer of private purchase of maize at MSP from the farmers,” Khaira said.
“It seems the Congress is propagating the BJP model of private purchase of crops in Punjab. This is the exact model imposed by the BJP through one of the three black laws, repealed by the central government following farmers’ protests. It will encourage corporates to enter procurement compared to the established marketing system,” he added.
Khaira said Rana Gurjeet is ready to pay MSP on maize crops in Punjab for two years basically because he owns ethanol plants himself and needs maize. “I sense a deep conspiracy by this leader to destabilize the party in Punjab,” Khaira said.
Meanwhile, Rana Gurjeet reacting to Khaira’s statement said he didn’t want to comment on what other people were saying.
“I believe in the positive outcome of what I have announced and would work positively for the welfare of Punjab farmers. I have always propagated the farmers to take up new initiatives and sow maize to come out of the traditional paddy-wheat cycle,” Rana Gurjeet said outside Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday.
He added that the maize had a high demand in the petrochemical industry for ethanol production, which would yield higher profits for farmers than paddy.
“There is no vested interest. I have always appealed to the government to provide the farmers cultivating maize a subsidy of ₹10,000 per acre, as maize consumes half the electricity compared to paddy,” he said.
