CHANDIGARH: An MLA of the ruling BJP in Haryana on Wednesday staged a symbolic dharna in front of the state assembly building here, alleging that because of a senior bureaucrat, farmers were facing problems in mandis during crop procurement.
Goel, a second-term BJP MLA from Ambala City, targeted Additional Chief Secretary (Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs) P K Das during the dharna.
Das, however, said that he will not comment on what a political leader was saying, but assured that paddy procurement was going on smoothly.
The BJP leader alleged mismanagement at grain markets (mandis) and claimed that farmers were facing a lot of problems because of this.
"Farmers, labourers and traders are being harassed due to the delay in paddy procurement," Goel told reporters at the dharna site.
He claimed that farmers are facing problems in getting registration number on the Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal and even after waiting for long hours, they do not get permission to sell paddy crop.
"For six months farmers toil hard to grow the crop, but today they are facing hurdles in selling it.
And one official is responsible for this," Goel alleged.
"I am representing 5 lakh people.
I have not come to Chandigarh for a picnic, I am not against the government," the BJP MLA said during the dharna which lasted for about an hour.
Goel said that Chief Minister M L Khattar always gave him love and respect.
"A lot of development was undertaken in my assembly constituency.
But the people, including farmers, labourers, traders and other sections, who gave me blessings and because of whom I got re-elected, if they are facing problems, then I cannot stay silent," he said.
Das, however, told reporters that paddy procurement was going on smoothly in mandis.
"For this year's paddy procurement and paddy milling policy, decisions were taken at appropriate level in the government. Procurement is going on smoothly and under a system," he said.
Das said that as far as sitting on a dharna by a MLA is concerned, this is his prerogative.
Being a government official, "I will not like to comment on that", he said.
Asked if bureaucracy was calling the shots, the BJP MLA said "some officials have a big ego and think their ego is above the policies of the government".
"Today, I am staging this symbolic protest against that official," Goel said.
"He should admit his mistake. I have no personal grudge against the official, he should set right the arrangements in the mandis," BJP leader said.
Asked if his step to hold a dharna would give more ammunition to the opposition to attack the BJP-led government, which is already facing farmers protests and opposition fire over the new farm laws, Goel said, "I am not here sitting on this dharna to do politics.
" "No other MLA from a ruling party will sit on such a dharna, it takes a big heart to do so.
But I have been chosen by my constituents and for me they are supreme and if they are facing a problem, it is my duty to voice their problems, I have no right to sit silent, he said.
Goel threatened to hold a bigger protest next week if the situation at the 'mandis' does not improve by then.
At the dharna site, the MLA had also put up a banner behind him against the senior bureaucrat.
Opposition Congress hit out at the BJP-JJP government in the state, saying when it highlights farmers' concerns, the ruling dispensation does not lent an ear.
During his visit to Haryana on Tuesday, our party leader Rahul Gandhi also highlighted the problems farmers are facing in the mandis in the state.
So many of our state leaders have already brought to the notice of this government the problems and delay faced by farmers in paddy procurement, but they were not prepared to listen.
Congress MLA from Mullana segment in Ambala district, Varun Chaudhary, told reporters outside the Haryana assembly complex.
Now, at least the government should listen to its own MLA, he said.