PM Modi has hoodwinked farmers on MSP, says Congress

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the Union Cabinet's decision to give Minimum Support Price (MSP) of 1.5 times on the input cost to farmers as "historic,” Congress dubbed it a “political lollypop” as “Modi government stares at defeat in the next elections”.

"I am delighted that the government has fulfilled its promise to give MSP of 1.5 times on the input cost to farmers. A historical increase has been made in MSPs of the crops," Modi said in a tweet.

Not impressed by the government’s decision, Congress’ spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the government did nothing for the farmers in the four years of its rule and all that the farmers have gotten from the government in the past 49 months are ‘jumlas’.

Saying that the recent decision on MSP still doesn’t fulfil the promise of investment plus 50% made by the BJP, the Congress party noted that Kharif crops will be in market only in 2019, so the next government will be giving the MSP on Kharif crops that Modi government announced on Monday.

“By then, the Modi government will be voted out of power,” said Surjewala.

Saying that “for the first time in 70 years, taxes have been levied on farming necessities,” the Congress party criticised the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana, saying the scheme only benefited insurance companies. “While insurance companies made profits of ₹14,828 crore, the farmers merely got ₹5,650 crores as compensation,” said the party.

The prices of fertilisers, electricity, farming equipments and means of irrigation rose enormously in the past four years, Surjewala said, asking, “Is this not cheating the farmers?”