Congress against govt move to deny MSP to farmers burning stubble

Congress has opposed the Centre's move to deny MSP benefits to farmers, especially of Punjab and Haryana, if they continue to burn farm stubble. Taking note of the ET report that revealed the Centre's plans in this regard, Congress said instead of taking a comprehensive view on the multiple reasons for pollution in Delhi, the government is planning to trouble farmers.

"Now the outgoing Modi government has announced that farmers, especially in Punjab and Haryana, who burn stubble will not get MSP. Many factors cause pollution in the nation's capital and instead of addressing these factors, the Modi government is inflicting a shocking atrocity on the farmers of Punjab and Haryana. The farmers will give a befitting reply to Kisan Virodhi Narendra Modi, who has also written off Rs 16 lakh crore of bank loans for his 'poonjipati' (capitalist) friends, while being completely insensitive to the crushing debt burden of farmers," said AICC communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh, who is also a former environment minister.

He then pointed out that Congress manifesto has already "guaranteed a law to be passed by Parliament to ensure farmers get MSP at 1.5 times the comprehensive cost of production".