CM, ex-CM resort to tweets to attack each other over paddy procurement
| Date :07-Nov-2019 |
Staff Reporter :
RAIPUR
As the issue of paddy procurement is gradually heating up in State, now Twitter wars have started between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, former Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party. Amidst war on paddy procurement between State and centre, on Wednesday Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, while quoting famous poet Sahir Ludhiyanvi, tweeted, “Hum aman chahate hain magar julm ke khilaf agar jang lazmi hai toh phir jung he sahi”. Reacting to this tweet, BJP National Vice-President Dr Raman Singh wrote in his facebook account “Purani Kashti ko par lekar, faquat hamara hunar gaya hai…….naye khiwaiyaa kahi na samjhe nadi ka pani utar gaya hai”.
He also added that after coming to power by making false promises to farmers, the Congress have now come down to politics of threatening. Meanwhile, in its official Twitter handle, Chhattisgarh BJP wrote “Jung sirf unhe raas aayi, jinke paas roti thi, mere gaon ka kisaan toh fasal bechne ko roya.” Addressing the Chief Minister, it further wrote, “Swang karma bandh kijiye. Kisaan samajh gaye hai ki aapki niyat mein hi khot hai, isliye ab aarop-pratyarop kar unhe gumrah kar rahe hain”.
It is worth mentioning here that the Congress had announced it its election manifest that it would procure paddy at Rs 2,500 per quintal Minimum Support Price if it comes to power. Bharatiya Janata Party Kissan leader Sandeep Sharma said it is the Congress which has come to power by promising to purchase paddy against a Minimum Support Price of Rs 2,500 per quintal. Now that it has come to power by making the said promise, it is its duty to fulfill the same. He said it is completely unnecessary to drag the central government into the same. On the other hand Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has launched a sort of movement while raising the issue of Central Government’s permission for paddy procurement from farmers at Minimum Support Price of Rs 2,500 per quintal and procurement of 32 lakh metric tons of rice from Chhattisgarh for central pool. Baghel said that in 2014, the centre issued directives that rice procurement will not be done from the state governments that are providing bonus to farmers on paddy procurement at support price, for central pool. However, despite the directive, rice was procured for central pool by relaxing the aforementioned provision for last two years.
This year 2019-20, the state government has urged the centre to again relax the provision and procure 32 lakh MT rice from Chhattisgarh as higher inflow of paddy is expected. Baghel said we have written letters in the context to Prime Minister and Central Food Minister, but they have responded with disagreement letter, stating that procurement of paddy at Rs 2500 per quintal would disturb the market. The BJP alleged that instead of proceeding for paddy procurement and fulfilling its promise, the state government is unnecessarily dragging the central government in the issue. BJP stated that the Congress should fulfill all the promises made in its manifesto honestly instead of politicizing the issue. Sharma said central government prepares policy on procurement based on pan India requirement and not on the basis of any single state. It is the state government which has to find its way as to how it would fulfill its promises made during election as the previous had done.