BJP ‘boycotts’ all-party meeting called by CM
| Date :06-Nov-2019 |
Staff Reporter :
Raipur
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel demanded BJP to clarify its stand whether it is in favour of Rs 2,500 MSP per quintal for farmers
Baghel insisted that the Centre can modify its norms as it did in 2017-18 to purchase 32 lakh MT tonne rice under Central Pool
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday ‘boycotted’ the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to discuss the issue of Centre’s ‘refusal’ to procure paddy from Chhattisgarh at MSP of Rs 2,500 per quintal. None of the BJP MPs attended the all-party meeting citing they were pre-occupied. However, sources in the BJP said that the State Government has only remembered the BJP MPs after the government was caught in a fix over the procurement of paddy. In its pre-poll promise, Congress had assured farmers of giving Rs 2,500 MSP per quintal which has become a headache for the government. BJP sources also said that Centre’s norms do not allow it to provide Rs 750 extra to one particular state as it could create an anomaly. Day before, on Monday, former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Dr Raman Singh had said, “State Government had been sidelining the BJP leaders on every occasion.”
This statement had come from Dr Singh at Raipur airport before his departure to Delhi on Monday. It is to be mentioned, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had convened the all-party meeting at Mantralaya, Atal Nagar, on Tuesday. All MPs of State were invited to the meeting. However, only three MPs - Deepak Baij from Bastar, Jyotsna Mahant from Korba and Rajya Sabha MP Chhaya Verma - attended the meeting. Coming down heavily on BJP MPs for not attending the meeting, Chief Minister Baghel said that the absence of BJP MPs shows party’s anti-farmer policy. Baghel has asked the BJP to clear its stand on MSP issue whether the party is in favour of giving MSP of Rs 2,500 to farmers. Baghel further questioned if the Centre could modify its norms in previous years why not today. “We want the support of BJP MPs of State on the MSP issue,” insisted Baghel.
He said that the Centre had decided to purchase 25 lakh metric tonne rice from Chhattisgarh in 2017-18 through Central Pool by modifying the rules. Baghel demanded the Centre to purchase 32 Lakh MT rice from Chhattisgarh this year keeping in mind record production. Baghel said that in the meeting that the Centre has refused to give Rs 2,500 per quintal as it would have a great negative impact on the market. But the truth is that the market situation would improve, added Baghel. On the excuse of some MPs that they had not received information about the meeting, the Chief Minister said that all MPs were given prior information.
Meanwhile, BJP MPs Ramvichar Netam and Minister of State Renuka Singh said that they had pre-decided events and thus they will not be able to attend the meeting and a communication in this regard was send by their personal secretary to the State Government. BJP MP Sunil Soni said that the officials of the Mantralaya informed about the all-party meeting over phone on Monday night. “The Chief Minister took too much time to know that MPs are invited to such meetings. Further, the Chief Minister is remembering us at a time when he finds himself in troubled water. Rajyotsav card was sent to me through a peon. Only three names – Leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik, MLA Brijmohan Agrawal and Sunil Soni were in the list of Rajyotsav,” said Soni. It is worthwhile to mention, Chhattisgarh government has been insisting on increasing the MSP of paddy and the state’s quota in the central pool while the Centre has ‘rejected’ the demand, citing the higher procurement price being offered by Chhattisgarh.
The Congress government in the state is paying Rs 2,500 per quintal of paddy to farmers in fulfilment of its election promise, which is Rs 750 more than the MSP fixed by the Centre. The Centre had already justified its refusal stating that the MSP had been fixed for all the states and norms could not be changed only for Chhattisgarh just to accommodate the higher price for procurement it was paying for the paddy.