Meerut (UP), Feb 20 (PTI) Amid a standoff between farmers taking part in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation and the Centre over their various demands, Union minister V K Singh on Tuesday alleged that the farmer leaders do not want to find a solution to the problems.
The Union minister of state for road transport and highways and civil aviation also said it is not easy for any government to fulfil the demands of the farmer leaders.
“The real thing is that the farmer leaders do not want to find a solution to this problem. If we include the expenditure on subsidies given to farmers in various ways and the expenditure on Pradhan Mantri Swanidhi Yojana, it is 2.4 per cent of the GDP. Whereas the expenditure on the Army is only 1.9 per cent of the GDP,” Singh, a former army chief, said.
Protesting farmers have been staying put at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab’s border with Haryana after their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press the Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was stopped by security forces which led to clashes last week.
Farmer leaders taking part in agitation on Monday rejected the Centre’s proposal of procuring pulses, maize and cotton at MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in farmers’ interest and announced that they will march towards the national capital on Wednesday.
About the violence in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, Singh said, “The state government has failed to provide security to the citizens there. There is only one solution to it, that people there elect a BJP government.” Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24-Parganas district has been tense with a large number of women in the locality accusing Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of “land-grab and sexually assaulting” them under coercion.
Sheikh has been absconding since January 5 when a mob attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers during a raid at his residence in connection with an alleged ration scam.
Two of Sheikh’s aides, who along with others were booked under charges of gang rape and attempt to murder, have been arrested.
To a question on criticism of the Agniveer scheme of the Centre by political opponents, Singh said, “The real thing is that the leaders of the opposition parties do not know the Army, hence they are opposing the scheme.” “Agniveer is a good opportunity for the youth. Many youths, after joining the Army, think that they have made a wrong decision and they are not able to get out of there easily. Agniveer is such an opportunity that will provide an easy exit and also get a chance to continue serving the Army,” he added. PTI COR NAV NSD NSD NSD
