BJP ‘victimizing’ farmers, says Cong

Rajkot: Eight Congress MLAs from Saurashtra region have alleged that ruling BJP in the state was ‘victimizing’ farmers for voting against the party during the December 2017 assembly elections. They also demanded that government immediately resolve issues of farmers like purchase of groundnut at MSP and release crop insurance amount for last year’s cotton crop.

The opposition party announced that they will organize rally of Saurashtra farmers from February 1 to 6 in Upleta taluka of Rajkot. Leader of opposition in state assembly, Paresh Dhanani and other state level leaders will join this rally. Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel may also attend the rally. The MLAs who made the announcement through a pre-ss conference on Tuesday incl-uded Harshad Ribadiya of Visavadar, Lalit Vasoya of Dhoraji, Lalit Kagathra of Tankara, Chirag Kalaria of Jamjodhpur, Vallabhbhai Dharavia of Jamnagar (rural), Brajesh Merza of Morbi and Parsotam Sabariya of Dhrangadhra.

“Government has given crop insurance responsibility to private insurance company under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna. This is a scam in connivance with insurance companies,” alleged Ribadiya. The MLA claimed that payment of Rs 800 crore of cotton insurance was pending for previous years. Chirag Kalaria of Jamjodhpur alleged, “The state-run power companies like PGVCL don’t provide electricity for eight hours. Moreover, their officers lodge false cases of electricity theft against farmers and victimize them for voting for Congress.” Lalit Vasoya said, “If government won’t solve farmers’ problem we will start our agitation from February 1 at the taluka level and organize a mass farmers rally in Upleta.” Tankara MLA Lalit Kagathra alleged, “Since last three days, government has closed down groundnut procurement centres for purchasing commodity at MSP. There is huge corruption in groundnut purchase.”