Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar Sunday questioned the motive of farmer leaders who are seeking a minimum support price (MSP) guarantee for 23 crops.
Speaking to media persons in Chandigarh, he said, “Punjab is already getting MSP on wheat and paddy, so what are the other crops they (farmers) want to cultivate in place of paddy? I will sit in a dharna in Delhi to get the MSP guarantee on that crop… The farm union leaders should stop exploiting the emotions of youngsters…”
“Will they sow jowar, bajra, moong, ragi, or any other crop instead of paddy, if an MSP guarantee is provided on these crops? The AAP government stated that they will replace paddy with bajra. So, it is a request to them to get it (paddy) replaced in Sangrur (the CM’s native district) first. My point is that when we have an MSP for the main crops grown in Punjab, then why are we blocking our borders? We should act wisely… We cannot afford to lose any more Shubhkarans,” he quipped.
Jakhar’s remarks came on the 20th day of the agitation led by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the SKM (non-political) at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. Notably, the last prayer meeting for Shubhkaran Singh, who died in alleged police firing during the ongoing agitation, was held in Balloh village under Bathinda district Sunday.
Attacking the Congress, Jakhar said, “Congress leaders who are conducting a tractor march in support of farmers should say which crop they will prefer over wheat, paddy and sugarcane?”
Sharing figures of paddy procurement in Punjab, he said, “In 2014, a total of 1.18 crore lakh tonne of paddy was procured and Rs 15,511 crore was paid to farmers by the government. In 2023, paddy procurement increased to 1.82 crore lakh tonne, and Rs 40,385 crore was paid. Even farmers from states like Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar come to Punjab to sell their wheat and paddy as MSP on these crops are not available in those states…”
The BJP leader also flagged the issue of climate change and said it is a bigger challenge. “We must seek crop insurance premiums from the government. So that income guarantee is there even if weather damages our crops… The falling water table is also an issue. If there is no water, what will we do with the MSP after a few years?” he added.
Justifying the sealing of the Punjab-Haryana border, Jakhar said, “Peaceful protest is our right… but permission was granted on January 26, 2021, as well and we know what happened at the Red Fort.”
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