Even BJP leaders are silent on Modi’s achievements, says Congress

Continuing its tirade against the Narendra Modi Government, the Congress said even the ‘Marg Darshak Mandal’ of the BJP is silent on the “achievements” of the Centre. Talking to reporters here on Friday, Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh said the silence of veterans such as LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Rajnath Singh makes it clear that this Government does not have much to tell the people.

The Prime Minister is busy ‘beating drums’ and ‘playing violin’ from Japan to Mongolia, but a grave ‘agrarian crisis’ of unprecedented scale plagues the farm sector, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said. He said the decisions of the Centre have put a question mark on India’s food security.

“This epidemic catastrophe arises out of intentional indifference and cruel mal-governance of the BJP-led NDA Government, which is deaf to the agony, anguish and request for help from the Indian farmer,” Singh said in a statement.

He said unlike the erstwhile UPA Government, the present Government does not believe in helping farmers. “Prices of all agricultural crops are witnessing a free fall. The Government is unwilling to fix a fair Minimum Support Price for crops.” He said while agricultural exports have dipped substantially, export of beef has increased.

“The pink revolution Modi was talking about was a reality under his regime. No exports have increased like the beef export,” Singh said while maintaining that he personally favours imposition of a ban on cow slaughter. He, however, added people should have the right to choose what they eat.

To fulfil the promises given to corporate houses, Modi is making changes to the Land Acquisition law, he said. “Modi’s Land Acquisition Ordinance that seeks to kill the ‘heart and soul’ of Right to Fair Compensation Act, 2013, is actually a ‘Life Acquisition Ordinance’ for farmers.”

The Centre’s procurement agencies are refusing to purchase farmer’s crop even at MSP beyond the PDS quota fixed for each State, he added. “To top it, Modi has banned the BJP-ruled States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to give the already announced bonus to paddy and wheat farmers. He talks about cooperative federalism, but does not believe in the rights of the States to give a bonus to farmers.”

Singh added the media is silent on the unprecedented price of pulses during the Modi regime. “Prices of all essential items have increased. The Government hasn’t taken any steps to rein in the spiralling prices.”

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