Navjot Sidhu argued that states should pay farmers the MSP.
The differences of Navjot Sidhu, a politician turned cricketer, with the Chief Minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh, made his presence felt at a public meeting today attended by Rahul Gandhi. Sharing the stage with the Chief Minister and Mr Gandhi at the rally – intended to protest the Centre’s new agricultural laws – Mr Sidhu argued that if the Center stops paying minimum support prices to farmers, l State should do it.
“If Himachal Pradesh can buy apples, why can’t we buy crops … c give them a minimum support price? If the government of Punjab can provide MSP to farmers, we will be self-sufficient,” he said. Mr Sidhu said.
The state government “should come forward to help farmers,” added the former minister who transferred the BJP camp to Congress in 2017.
Farmers have been extremely concerned about the minimum support price, which they say will be removed by new laws that allow them to sell directly to businesses and even contract farming.
“If we don’t fight these black laws, everything will go to Ambani and Adani, who will come with great lawyers. I don’t know how the farmers will react then,” he added, echoing the fear of farmers of ‘be unequal. to deal with large companies.
“The central government wants to wrest our insured income and this is an attack on the federal structure,” Sidhu said.
The Punjab, he said, earned Rs 5,000 crore last year thanks to kisan mandis or wholesale markers. “Our ancestors built these mandis. The Center denies us our rights,” he said.
Amid protests over farm laws, the BJP-led central government announced a MSP hike last month, a month ahead of schedule. The procurement dates have already been brought forward.
Congress holds a three-day “Kheti Bachao Yatra” (March to protect the agricultural sector) which aims to highlight Congress’ stance against laws that were approved by parliament last month amid fiery opposition protests .
