Chandigarh, October 11
Political consensus eluded the Punjab Vidhan Sabha members today on a resolution that “indicted” the Central Government on announcing the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy and date of commencement of procurement.
The resolution was passed by voice vote by the Treasury benches after the Opposition, the Shiromani Akali Dal-led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had walked out amidst slogan shouting. Shortly before their action, the BJP members had also walked out.
The resolution was moved by the Minister for Food and Supplies, Mr Lal Singh. After a lot of cajoling by the Opposition, led by Capt Kanwaljit Singh, the Speaker agreed to extend the sitting of the House to enable members participate on it. The House spent nearly six hours over the issues that concern Punjab farmers and agricultural economy.
Members from both sides engaged in a blame-game and tried to draw maximum political mileage in the name of the kisan and his plight. Understandably, the Treasury benches blamed the Centre and the Akalis for playing “food politics”, while, the latter held the Congress responsible for all problems that beset the farming community.
The resolution expressed its deep concern, resentment and lodged a protest over the deliberate and “politically motivated” delay in announcing MSP for paddy and date of purchase by the Union Government, thereby, putting the entire farming community under great anxiety and stress. It also castigated the Centre for the suffering due to unremunerative MSP, as the farming community was already reeling under fiscal debt and drought had further added to their economic woes because of additional expenditure incurred by them to save paddy.
The agony of the farmers could have been avoided had the Centre accepted the MSP recommended by the state at Rs 726 per quintal, and given a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal. The resolution seeks this bonus plus drought relief on which a memorandum has already been submitted after a special crop survey (girdawri), it added.
The resolution goes on to record government efforts to save paddy by investing nearly Rs 6,000 crore, all at the cost of other sectors of the economy. The state has met drought challenges from its own sources at a high price and the Centre must compensate it by reimbursing expenses.
It also demanded that farmers
should be given immediate relief by waiving interest on cooperative and commercial bank loans and roll back the enhanced prices of fertilizers.
The discussion on the resolution was opened by Mr Badal, who was in his element. He reeled off facts and figures to pin down successive Congress governments at the Centre and in Punjab to build his hypothesis that the Congress policies have always been inimical to farmers. He presented his case to rebutt the Congress charge that he and his party had ‘’conspired’’ with the NDA to delay announcement of MSP and date of paddy purchase. His sugar-coated acerbic remarks and jibes at the Congressmen led to occasional peals of laughter.
Describing the convening of the special House session as a welcome step on a serious issue, he wished that it had been done earlier. He extended an open offer to the Treasury benches of cooperation when it came to defending the economic interests of the farmers or to rejuvenate agriculture. But he said before the House passed a resolution seeking relief and justice from the Centre, first the state should come forward with what it can offer to farmers and the Congress must fulfil its election promises.
Elaborating, he said, the state must ensure continuing with ‘’free’’ power and irrigation water, payment of Rs 30 per quintal bonus on last year’s paddy, as promised by the Congress in lumpsum withdrawal of state sales tax on fertilisers and pesticides, adequate MSP for sugarcane and payment of dues, waive postpone recovery of loans and interest thereon, compensate khet mazdoor and dalits dependent on agriculture.
The Chief Minister quoted extensively from various government reports and documents to build his thesis that it was the Centre and the Akalis, who must be apportioned the blame for not pursuing the state’s repeated demands and taking care of the farmers. His defence was a replay of what he had spoken at the October 2 meeting of political parties and seven kisan organisations he had convened. He extended an invitation to the Akalis to join the all-party delegation that is to shortly meet the Prime Minister.
Capt Amarinder Singh regretted that it was “politics” all the way and opposition seemed least serious about the farmers’ economic interests . As he concluded his speech calling upon the Akalis to “walk with us”, the Opposition walked out shouting slogans and disagreeing
with the resolution.
In fact, the Speaker, Dr Kewal Krishan, had already rejected a resolution submitted by the SAD-BJP combine, copies of which were made available to the press later. It was apparent during the nearly six-hour discussion that the House lacked seriousness, a fact which was pointed out by Mr Sucha Singh Chottepur and Mr Sunil Kumar Jakhar.
Mr Bir Devinder Singh was at his best when he took a different line and called for setting new policies and new priorities, if the House was serious on ensuring sustainable agriculture. He warned that the day may not be far when Punjab would thirst even for a drop of water. It was getting economically and ecologically ruined with each passing day. He even warned of a “civil war due to precipitating agricultural economic crises”.
Capt Kanwaljit Singh dubbed the resolution as “politically motivated”. Mr Jakhar said the kisan was doubly unblessed, one by the vagaries of weather and two by whims and fancies of the Centre that decided the rate and date of procurement.
