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Updated June 11th, 2021 at 10:08 IST

'Punjab Congress infighting taking toll': Hardeep Puri on CM Amarinder Singh's MSP remark

Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday has slammed the Punjab CM's criticism of the MSP hike. He tweeted, "The party infighting is taking a toll on a distracted CM."

Reported by: Swagata Banerjee
Punjab Congress infighting
Image: PTI | Image:self
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A day after Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh dubbed the MSP hike for paddy as not only "grossly inadequate" but "an insult" to the farmers, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday has slammed the statement and termed it a 'disinterested criticism.' He also took a dig at the CM over the conflicts and crises within the state Congress. 

This came after the Central Government on Wednesday had announced to raise the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy by Rs 72 per quintal to Rs 1,940 per quintal for the 2021-22 crop year.

While lambasting the Punjab CM, Puri took to Twitter and said, "The party infighting is taking a toll on a distracted Punjab Chief Minister who just cut-pastes a disinterested criticism of every MSP hike. To make it sound topical he added “agitating farmers” in this year’s statement but forgot about ₹26000 cr deposited directly into farmers’ accounts."

Punjab CM fumes over Paddy MSP hike

In a statement, the Punjab CM on Thursday had said, "At a time when the farmers continued to put their lives on the line with their prolonged protest at the Delhi borders, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led central government has, instead of putting balm on their wounds, added insult to injury with the MSP announcement. The less than 4 percent hike in MSP of paddy was not enough even to meet the increased input costs. The increase in MSP of other crops was also quite measly. The small hike in the base price of maize would discourage farmers from going in for the much-needed crop diversification to save the precious and depleting water resource."

"Far from implementing the recommendations of the Committee in the interests of the farmers and the nation's food security, the BJP-led government had passed the anti-farmer farm laws that are clearly aimed at "destroying" India's farmers, "he lamented.

MSP Hike

The Centre on Wednesday increased the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy from Rs 72 per quintal to Rs 1940 per quintal during the 2021-22 crop year. Along with this, the MSP of other Kharif crops has also been increased. This decision was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar again allayed 'apprehensions' about MSP saying, "MSP (on crops) is continuing, it is being increased and this trend will continue in future also."

Crisis in Punjab Congress

Meanwhile, Congress's top leadership has decided to let Captain Amarinder Singh continue as the Chief Minister. While maintaining that the seniority of CM Captain Amarinder Singh, who spearheaded Congress to victory in the 2017 Punjab elections, has to be respected, Priyanka Vadra has reportedly summoned Navjot Singh Sidhu to New Delhi and assured him that his growing popularity will be rewarded. 

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Published June 11th, 2021 at 10:08 IST

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