‘Mare Kisaan, Pite Kisaan': Congress slams Centre on Haryana farmers demanding sunflower MSP
Several farmers from Haryana on Tuesday took to the streets demanding an MSP for sunflower seeds and blocked the Delhi-Chandigarh national highway.
Congress MP Deepender Hooda on Wednesday hit out at the central government over the ongoing Haryana farmers' protest demanding Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sunflower seed in Shahbad, saying that the slogan of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan’ has now become ‘Mare Kisaan, Pite Kisaan, Jai Dhanwaan’. He also said that the opposition party will be raising the issue in the upcoming Parliament session.
Congress MP Randeep Surjewala also slammed the Centre saying, “Modi ji had said that an MSP law will be brought, so where is it?”
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“Neither there is an MSP law nor the farmer is getting MSP. When the farmers protest they only get lathi-charged? Are the government and police working only to beating the farmers and disrespecting them?” Surjewala questioned.
Several farmers from Haryana on Tuesday took to the streets demanding an MSP for sunflower seeds and blocked the Delhi-Chandigarh national highway in front of the Shaheed Udham Singh memorial for six hours. The police resorted to lathi-charge and sprayed water cannons to disperse the protesters.
According to the police, nine leaders of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), including its president Gurnam Singh Charuni, were arrested, a day after being detained after blocking the national highway, reported news agency PTI.
Farmers' demand
The protesting farmers - led by Charuni - are alleging that they are being forced to sell their produce to private buyers at ₹4,000 a quintal against the MSP of ₹6,400. According to the farmers, they are against the government's move to include sunflower seed in the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana - under which the government will pay a fixed compensation of ₹1,000 per quintal against the produce sold below MSP.
