BJP crosses swords with Samajwadi Party over sugarcane price in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW: The ruling SP and the opposition BJP engaged in a war of words over the issue of sugarcane price in the state.

Slamming the SP government, BJP chief spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said, "Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said that he was ensuring reasonable cane price to the farmers in an adverse situation. While saying so he should also disclose what this adverse situation is."

When Haryana and Punjab were giving Rs 300 per quintal of cane to farmers, why could the Uttar Pradesh not do do, he asked, alleging that while the state was demanding package for sugar mills there was no mention of the farmers.

He alleged that payments of the last crushing season were due and farmers were forced to commit suicide. "How long this government would try to escape from its responsibility by blaming the previous regime?" he asked.

Responding to the charges, Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary termed it as a "drama" of Congress, BJP, BSP and RLD in the name of farmers and said it has not been exposed. "They never thought about farmers' welfare, instead took interest in increasing their problems," he alleged.

He said considering the condition of cane farmers the Chief Minister himself went to attend the meeting called by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and demanded a special package for them.