Shivraj Chouhan's ‘adharmik' dig on Cong for Chakravyuh-Shakuni references from Mahabharata

Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, August 2

Union agriculture and farmers' welfare minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday took swipes at the Congress asking why do leaders of the principal opposition party remember "adhaarmik (non religious) references from the Mahabharata instead of the deeply inspirational episodes related to Lord Krishna.
"Shakuni, Chakravyuh, Choupad (the traditional dice game)...why does Congress make only these non-religious references from the Maharabharata while we in the BJP remember Lord Krishna, Lord Kanhaiya when we recall the Epic," Chouhan said at the start of his hour long reply on Friday to the debate on agriculture budget in Rajya Sabha in which he alleged that the Congress DNA was "anti-farmer." Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had first made the "chakravyuh" reference during his Union Budget speech in the Lower House. On Thursday, Congress' lead speaker on the agriculture budget -- Randeep Surjewala -- repeated it.
Chouhan, who will continue his reply on Monday, said farmers, for the ruling BJP, are not "vote banks but Gods."
"Who perpetrated frauds on farmers? It was Congress leaders whose DNA is anti-farmer. Pt Nehru wanted to imposed the Russian model of agriculture in India and was stopped by Chaudhry Charan Singh; late Indira Gandhi's government imposed levies on farmers; late Rajiv Gandhi spoke of bringing an agriculture price policy but did nothing to raise farmers' incomes; late PV Narasimha Rao brought liberalisation but farm related companies were not delicensed," said Chouhan listing copious data to stress that the BJP led NDA government had truly empowered farmers.
The minister saluted the farmers of Punjab and Haryana for filling India's food basket and assured them continued MSP support.
Though silent on legal MSP -- a long standing demand of the farmers protesting on the borders of Punjab and Haryana--Chouhan said MSP rate was being continuously revised and was many times higher than what the UPA led Congress used to give.
Chouhan asked why the Congress did not implement the MS Swaminathan commission recommendations to give MSP at 50 % profit on cost of production and why did UPA ministers neglect the suggestion citing distortions of the market as the reason. "The report came in 2006 when you were in power. Why did you not implement it?" he asked.

The minister also gave data to say that the BJP government had enhanced MSP several times as compared to the UPA regime besides working on irrigation, micro irrigation, mechanization support in agriculture and comprehensive crop insurance for farmers.

"On bajra we raised the MSP by 1375 Rs per quintal since 2014; on jau by Rs 750; on ragi by Rs 2790 Rs; on wheat by 875 Rs per quintal...this is our commitment," he said telling farmers that the government will procure the entire
Arhar, masoor, urad -- we will buy entire stock of arhar, masoor and urad to achieve self reliance in pulses.
The minister also rejected lead Congress speaker Randeep Surjewala's take that agriculture budget had been slashed.
"Budget allocation for agriculture was Rs 27, 673 cr in 2013-15. In 2024-25 it is 1, 32, 470 cr. If you take allied sectors plus fertiliser subsidy the budget is Rs 1, 75, 446 cr and this does not include irrigation costs," Chouhan said.
He said the government had spent Rs 3,590 cr on a new scheme to address the stubble burning challenge and this had reduced stubble burning incidents and air pollution.