BJP to meet West Bengal Guv to discuss farmers' issues; 'TMC manifesto is of no use'

The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday, December 11, said that he will meet Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar to discuss issues faced by farmers including the black marketing of fertilizers. Speaking to ANI, Suvendu Adhikari asserted if the TMC-led government fails to address issues of farmers, then a 72-hour protest will be held from Dec 13.

The BJP leader stated that farmers in West Bengal are suffering due to issues including black marketing of fertilizers and the impact of Jawad cyclone resulting in crop destruction. 

Suvendu Adhikari told ANI, "Farmers in Bengal are suffering because of the black marketing of fertilizers. Jawed cyclone has also affected horticulture, potato, paddy farming, so farmers want some compensation. Hence, we have decided to meet Governor and work on this issue".

Adhikari further alleged that the West Bengal government is not paying attention to the issues related to farmers. "Trinamool Congress' manifesto is of no use", he said.

TMC and BJP clash over 'Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana'

On August 9, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to transfer nearly Rs 19,500 crore to 10 crore farmers across the country as the 9th instalment of the revolutionary PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took the opportunity to hit out at the TMC-led West Bengal government. He had said that the farmers in West Bengal are being 'deprived'of the schemes launched by the Central government due to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's objection to direct transfer to the beneficiaries. 

In early August, as per the West Bengal government, the Central government had excluded 9.5 lakh farmers from a total of 44.8 lakh beneficiaries of ‘Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana'. The TMC government had written a letter to the Central government seeking an explanation of the exclusion of 9.5 lakh farmers.

A senior official of the West Bengal state secretariat had stated, “It is a matter of concern as to why such a large number of beneficiaries from Bengal have been excluded from the scheme. In order to know the actual reason we had written to the Central government". 

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: ANI/PTI)