BJP, Cong lock horns over farmer suicides
The crisis of farmer suicides in Vidarbha has triggered a bitter political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress.
By TNN |
MUMBAI: The crisis of farmer suicides in Vidarbha has triggered a bitter political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress. Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who hails from Vidarbha, has called an all-party meeting of elected representatives from the region, at Nagpur on October 29 to discuss the issue.
Wary of letting the BJP leader exploit the issue, the Maharashtra Congress president Prabha Rau, has described the meeting as a drama, and asked elected representatives from the Congress not to attend.
Mr Gadkari has, however, termed the Congress leader’s reaction ‘unfortunate’. “The meeting is supposed to be an apolitical exercise where I expect leaders to seriously discuss the crisis and suggest solutions. It’s unfortunate that Ms Rau has chosen to take a flippant stand on such a serious issue,” Mr Gadkari said.
Meanwhile, the suicide toll in Vidarbha since June ’05 has crossed 1,000. Ironically, around 400 deaths have taken place after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a special relief package at Nagpur on July 1.
Mr Gadkari has been calling for a serious discussion on this issue right from the beginning. The BJP leader has demanded that adequate remunerative prices for agriculture produce — Rs 2,700 per quintal for cotton and Rs 1,000 per quintal for paddy, a debt-waiver, and a cut in the interest rates, be made.
“The issue is serious and merits united efforts by all political parties. But despite being in power in the state and at the Centre, the Congress has taken a political stand rather than approaching the crisis head-on,” Mr Gadkari said.
Wary of letting the BJP leader exploit the issue, the Maharashtra Congress president Prabha Rau, has described the meeting as a drama, and asked elected representatives from the Congress not to attend.
Mr Gadkari has, however, termed the Congress leader’s reaction ‘unfortunate’. “The meeting is supposed to be an apolitical exercise where I expect leaders to seriously discuss the crisis and suggest solutions. It’s unfortunate that Ms Rau has chosen to take a flippant stand on such a serious issue,” Mr Gadkari said.
Meanwhile, the suicide toll in Vidarbha since June ’05 has crossed 1,000. Ironically, around 400 deaths have taken place after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a special relief package at Nagpur on July 1.
Mr Gadkari has been calling for a serious discussion on this issue right from the beginning. The BJP leader has demanded that adequate remunerative prices for agriculture produce — Rs 2,700 per quintal for cotton and Rs 1,000 per quintal for paddy, a debt-waiver, and a cut in the interest rates, be made.
“The issue is serious and merits united efforts by all political parties. But despite being in power in the state and at the Centre, the Congress has taken a political stand rather than approaching the crisis head-on,” Mr Gadkari said.
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