Congress shedding crocodile tears for farmers: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

Amid the ongoing protest by farmers at Delhi borders, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Friday alleged that although the Congress failed to take care of the cultivators when it was in power, the party was now shedding crocodile tears for them.

Addressing a function here on the occasion of Good Governance Day, Rupani said Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured that farmers get sustainable prices for their farm produce.

He alleged that the previous Congress government harmed the farmers by stalling the Sardar Sarvor Dam project in Gujarat for seven years.

"The Congress is shedding crocodile tears for farmers now. Why did the Congress not give permission to install gates on the dam for seven years? You let the water of Narmada went into the sea when farmers were in need of that water to save their crops. It all happened when you were in power (before 2014)," Rupani said.

He added that PM Modi gave permission to install the gates on the dam on the 17th day of assuming office.

Rupani said the BJP government in Gujarat has implemented many pro-farmers schemes till now, including the SAUNI Yojana to fill the dams of Saurashtra region with excess Narmada water, Sujalam Sufalam canal irrigation scheme for north Gujarat and Kisan Suryoday Yojana to provide electricity to farmers during day time.

"Our PM regularly increases the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various agricultural produce to make sure that farmers get sustainable prices. This year, groundnut was procured at Rs 1,100 (per 20 kg) in Gujarat. Farmers never got such a price in the past," Rupani said, adding that the state government had approved a compensation package of Rs 3,700 crore for farmers hit by excess rain this year.

During the event held at Mahatma Mandir, the prime minister's address to farmers was also aired live on large screens after Rupani's speech. 

(Photo Credit: Twitter/vijayrupanibjp)