Haryana Congress seeks CBI probe into paddy procurement

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Congress on Friday demanded an inquiry by the CBI or a sitting judge of the High Court into the alleged irregularities in paddy purchases in the state.

A Haryana Congress delegation, led by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, met Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki and handed him a memorandum on the issue in Chandigarh.

Hooda alleged that a huge scandal in the purchase of paddy is going on in the ongoing procurement season.

"Crores of farmers have suffered losses due to this scandal," he said.

"A few days back, paddy was being purchased from the farmers much below the Minimum Support Price. The moment the farmers have sold most of their produce, now it is being purchased at a price more than Rs 3,000 per quintal," Hooda said.

"The tragic fact is that most of the farmers of the state were paid at the rate of Rs 1,200 per quintal whereas the Minimum Support Price of paddy is Rs 1,450 per quintal," he said.

"The scam of this magnitude was not possible without the connivance, collusion, protection and tacit consent of the government," the memorandum said.

The Haryana Congress delegation urged the Governor to get this alleged scandal inquired by the CBI or a sitting judge of the High Court to ensure justice to the millions of farmers of the state and exemplary punishment to those involved in this scandal.