NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday accused the BJP government of not fulfilling its promises to farmers such as doubling their income and said "enough with the jumlas", it is time to answer the people now.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said 16 years ago, the Congress-UPA government had waived Rs 72,000 crore farm loans and interest of 3.73 crore farmers.
"This was the guarantee of Congress which was fulfilled. Modi ji made two big promises to the farmers -- first, cost+50 per cent of MSP and second, to double the income of farmers by 2022.
Both 'Modi's guarantees' turned out to be fake, and the condition of farmers became worse," the Congress president said in a post in Hindi on X.
"Now Congress has again promised the farmers -- We will give legal guarantee of MSP to 15 crore farmer families. Only Congress fulfils its guarantee," he asserted.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh referred to Modi's virtual address to the people of Madhya Pradesh and said that amidst the inevitable wave of "lies and propaganda" that will unfold, the people of Madhya Pradesh have questions for him.
"In 2014, the BJP manifesto had promised that it would ensure 'a minimum 50% profit over the cost of production' for farmers.
In the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections 2023, the BJP had promised the farmers that MSP for wheat would be fixed at Rs 2,700 and paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal," Ramesh said.
Today, the Union government's MSP for wheat is only Rs 2,275 and the state government has taken no step to pay a bonus to farmers for the differential, he said.
Why has the double engine sarkar failed to provide 'nyay (justice)' to our farmers, Ramesh asked.
"During the Madhya Pradesh elections a few months ago, the BJP had promised that the amount of money transferred to women under the Ladli Behna Scheme will be increased to Rs 3,000 per month. Upon winning the election, the government has not made any steps to fulfilling the promise," he claimed.
Recently in the assembly, the state government declared that "it was not possible" to set a time limit to the promise, he said.
Is this "Modi ki guarantee" or yet another "chunavi jumla (election rhetoric), Ramesh asked. Ramesh said the BJP promised a budget of Rs 3 lakh crores for tribal welfare in the Madhya Pradesh elections.
"To the contrary, the last few months have seen an increase in incidence of atrocities on Adivasi in Madhya Pradesh. Just a few days ago, after Modi's rally in Jhabua, ruling party workers brutally abused and beat an Adivasi youth in Betul. Does the Prime Minister have any vision for Adivasi welfare and social justice?" he said.
"Pradhan Mantri ji, enough with the jumlas, it is time to answer the people now," Ramesh said.
Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said, "15 years ago, the UPA announced a historic Rs. 60,000 crore nationwide farm loan waiver which brought immense relief to all the Annadatas across India."
"This time, we have promised a legal guarantee of MSP. We have always prioritised farmers' welfare and ensured they have a safety net during difficult times," he said in a post on X.
Venugopal alleged that farmers are being "silenced, treated as anti-nationals and the promise of doubling farmers' income has fallen flat,".
It is once again clear that only Congress can truly save our farmers from their misery, he added.
