Patna/New Delhi: Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Saturday mocked at the farmers' protest raging in several states, calling it a publicity stunt that will not have any impact.
The comments come on the second day of a 10-day boycott of wholesale agricultural markets by 172 farmer organisationsNo farmers are participating in the strike. They have faith that the state and Centre will solve their problemsThe farmer groups have declared that they will not supply vegetables and dairy produce to cities for 10 days beginning June 1. They are also staging dharnas (sit-in protests) at several national highways across the country.
, as being demanded by National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner chief minister Nitish Kumar, especially in the light of the issues related to the state's development that he (Nitish) raised"The 14th Finance Commission increased the share of states in central taxes. We will see what the 15th Finance Commission recommends in its report," Singh said.
Pressed about his opinion on whether Bihar should be accorded "special category status" or not, Singh said bluntly: speaking (in East Champaran district of Bihar)Recounting achievements in agriculture during the four-year rule of Modi at the Centre, Singh said food grain production was set to rise to 280 million tonnes against 255 million tonnes production four years ago.
"Horticulture is expected to grow from 2.65 million tonne in 2014 to an expected 307 million tonne this year. Fisheries and milk production have increased by 26 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively," he said.Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed tweeted, "Insensitive statement! PM Modi's Agriculture Minister says, strike by farmers is to attract media attention. When our farmers are committing suicide, this statement is really cruel."
CPM's All India Kisan Sabha general secretary Hannan Mollah said: "Ministers have a track record of calling names such as anarchist, riotous and son, whenever peasnts agitate. That is the practice of ruling parties. We have been fighting for farmers, and leading the struggle in the last five yars. Although we haven't called for the current bandh, they have our sympathies and the reactions of ministers shouldn't surprise us." CPI's Kisan Sabha on Saturday picketed all collectorates in Maharashtra demanding minimum profit and loan waiver.
He added: "At the behest of politicians in Haryana, some anti-socials are trying to divert the stir by inciting caste conflict. This is condemnable." Jat groups in Harayana have called for a renewed agitation for reservation benefits, in the midst of the peasant stir in the state where Jats and Yadavs are the two major cultivating communities.
