AAP adopting ‘double standards’ on crop compensation, claims BJP

Jalandhar, March 27

A day after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann handed over compensation cheques to cotton farmers whose crop was damaged due to the pink bollworm attack, BJP leader Nimisha Mehta today questioned the “double standards” of the AAP government in disbursing relief to farmers.

Mehta, who contested the Assembly poll from Garhshankar segment, said CM Mann was giving compensation on the basis of the girdawari done by the previous Congress government.

“The AAP government must tell what difference has this act made from the previous Congress government,” she said. Taking a dig at the Chief Minister, Nimisha said, “If CM Bhagwant Mann can offer Rs 45,000 per acre compensation to farmers for clearing the standing wheat crop for his swearing-in ceremony at Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s native village Khatkar Kalan in Nawanshahr, then what stopped him from giving the same amount to cotton farmers?”

Manvesh Sidhu, secretary, Revenue Department, said, “We have given Rs 17,000 per acre compensation to farmers on the basis of assessment of loss. There was not complete damage to crop. The compensation given to cotton farmers cannot be compared to that given in Khatkar Kalan as the entire wheat crop had to be cleared for the compensation. These are two separate cases.” —