Himachal Congress attacks BJP ministers over statements on crashing apple market

State Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore on Thursday hit out at horticulture minister Mahender Singh Thakur, saying that he does not know anything about apple farmers’ problems

State Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore on Thursday hit out at horticulture minister Mahender Singh Thakur for advising apple cultivators to sell their produce in plastic crates along the roadside in pick-up vans.

Himachal Pradesh Congress state president Kuldeep Singh Rathore described the stance of the BJP-led state government as anti-apple growers. (HT PHOTO)

“It’s clear from his statements that the horticulture minister does not understand the core issues related to apple marketing,” said Rathore at a press conference in Shimla.

“The horticulture minister had asked the apple growers to sit on roads and sell the produce. He is making haywire statements, he should apologise to the farmers or else the chief minister should sack him for hurting sentiments of fruit growers,” said Rathore.

Mahender Singh Thakur had advised farmers that instead of using the cardboard cartons, the farmers should sell their produce in open.

Rathore described the stance of the government as anti-apple growers. Rathore also trained his guns on urban development minister Suresh Bhardwaj for his statement on the steep crash in apple prices.