Madhya Pradesh Congress to begin Kisan Nyay Yatra from Sep 10

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Monday announced that it would hold a Kisan Nyay Yatra in the state from September 10 and stage demonstrations on September 20 to protest against the BJP-led state government for not fulfilling promises it made to farmers.

Talking to reporters, state Congress president Jitu Patwari claimed the BJP had failed to deliver on promises about the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Patwari said he will launch the Kisan Nyay Yatra from Mandsaur on Tuesday, and similar marches will be organised in Hoshangabad on September 13 and Agar Malwa on September 15.

He said the party would gherao and protest at collectors' offices in every district.

Former chief ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh, former leader of opposition Ajay Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha, leader of opposition Uman Singhar and other leaders will take part in the yatra in different districts, Patwari said.

The Congress leader alleged that Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has headed the state government, had made statements promising to double the income of farmers about one lakh times, and the BJP had promised to provide MSP for wheat and paddy at Rs 2,700 and Rs 3,100 respectively.

He questioned why the MSP had not been declared yet.

Patwari pointed out that this year, farmers were paid the same price for soybean that they received ten years ago and said the cost of farming was around Rs 4,000 per quintal, but the price for the crop was Rs 3,800.

"The price of soybean crop clearly indicates that the BJP's promise of doubling the income of farmers is false," he alleged and claimed that the BJP in neighbouring Maharashtra announced the purchase of soybean crop with an eye on the upcoming assembly elections in the state.