BJP protests, wants Delhi govt to buy wheat at 'promised rate'

The protest comes a day after senior AAP leader Gopal Rai, who is in charge of the state agriculture department, alleged that the Food Corporation of India has not yet opened counters for procurement of wheat at Delhi’s grain markets at the minimum support price (MSP).

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday staged a protest against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government outside Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence for allegedly misleading farmers and not fulfilling its promise of buying wheat at ₹2,612 per quintal in the city.

The FCI and its Delhi region office on Wednesday had taken to Twitter calling the AAP-led Delhi government’s claims “baseless”. (HT file photo)

The protest comes a day after senior AAP leader Gopal Rai, who is in charge of the state agriculture department, alleged that the Food Corporation of India has not yet opened counters for procurement of wheat at Delhi’s grain markets at the minimum support price (MSP).

The FCI and its Delhi region office on Wednesday had taken to Twitter calling the AAP-led Delhi government’s claims “baseless”. “Allegations made by government of Delhi is completely baseless. FCI Delhi is fully prepared to procure wheat from farmers of Delhi at FSD Narela, Mayapuri & APMC Najafgarh mandi, which have been operational since April 1 & FCI has already procured 158 Qt wheat as on April 7,” tweeted FCI Delhi region, along with photographs of FSD Narela.

On Thursday, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta hit out at the AAP and said that the Delhi government was anti-farmers. “Kejriwal had promised free power and said it will purchase farm produce at a price that is one-and-a-half times more than MSP . He had said that his government will buy wheat at ₹2,612 per quintal. But the government has not even opened a single centre for it. They are also not cooperating with FCI, which is now buying wheat in Delhi on its own,” said Gupta.

Gupta demanded that the government either immediately honour the promises made or AAP leader Gopal Rai apologise to farmers.

BJP MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi assembly, added that if needed he, along with other party workers, will protest outside Rai’s residence as well to support farmers’ issues.

Bidhuri said, “We are standing in complete solidarity with the farmers. The Delhi government has not opened any centres so far to buy wheat. The government does not want any buying to take place at MSP. The Central government agency, which has opened its centres here, is buying wheat at the rate of ₹1,975 per quintal. If the Kejriwal government wants, it can pay the remaining ₹800 per quintal to farmers.”

Delhi government spokespersons refused to comment on the issue despite repeated requests.