Uproar in Rajya Sabha over reduction in paddy, cotton procurement price

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties led by Congress and SP forced two adjournments in Rajya Sabha in pre-noon session today after they created uproar over sharp dip in government procurement price of paddy and cotton which had pushed distressed farmers to the brink of suicide.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll promise of giving farmers a price that is 50 per cent more than the cost of production, they trooped into the Well seeking a response from the government.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien first adjourned the House for five minutes and then till noon as members refused to take their place in absence of a government response.

Raising the issue Zero Hour, Ahmed Patel (Cong) said cotton prices have fallen from Rs 7,000 per quintal last year to Rs 3,000 per quintal, driving farmers to commit suicide.

When UPA was in power, he said, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) was instructed to purchase cotton from farmers at right price but this year no such instruction has been given.

Former Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar (NCP) said Textile Minister, in response to his letter on the issue, has written to him that the minimum support price this year is Rs 3,750 to Rs 4,050 per quintal depending on cotton varieties. This compares to MSP of up to Rs 5,900 per quintal last year, he said.

Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said in the run up to Lok Sabha election, Modi had made a promise of a price that is 50 per cent more than the cost of production.

While Mayawati (BSP) claimed that more than 10,000 farmers in Maharashtra have committed suicide, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) wanted Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was present, to respond.

Kurien said the members can give a notice for discussion on the issue even as SP and Congress members trooped into the Well raising slogans against the government. This led to the first adjournment of 5 minutes.
Earlier, Naresh Agrawal (SP) said farmers in Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Punjab and Haryana have been pushed to the brink of suicide after the Centre directed the states to cut the procurement of levy rice to 25 per cent from as high as 67 per cent last year.

State governments usually procure levy rice from millers, who purchase paddy from farmers at minimum support price (MSP) to meet their public distribution needs. Percentage of levy rice procurement last year differed from state to state and varied between 30 to 75 per cent of procurement.

Yadav said the government should clarify its stand on the issue while Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) said farmers were getting Rs 400 per quintal less on paddy this year.

When the House reassembled after the first adjournment, members from Samajwadi Party and Congress again came to the Well shouting slogans.

"The anti-farmer government will not be allowed to continue," they shouted.

Incensed by the repeated disruptions, Kurien snubbed the members saying "This is undemocratic. This is indiscipline ... This is the height of indiscipline. Those who have not given notice are coming into the Well and shouting."

He wondered that while members on the one hand want the government to respond to the issue, on the other hand they are creating uproar in the House.

Kurien tried to take up Zero Hour and called Derek O'Brien (Trinamool Congress), who was heard raising an issue about BJP chief Amit Shah's name allegedly figuring in a red diary.

He alleged that every effort is being made to hush up the matter.

However, as the din continued, the Trinamool Congress leader said he would raise the issue in Question Hour.

As the din continued, Kurien adjourned the House till noon after commenting "this is indiscipline, irresponsible and unbecoming behaviour of a Parliament member."