This is Mahabharata and Modi government is behaving like Kaurava: Congress

Mocking mocked the decision of the central government for an increase in the minimum support price (MSP) for Kharif crops in the 2019-20 session. Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned the government as to who will give minimum support price (MSP) to 15.50 crore farmers for their produce.

New Delhi: Continuing its protest against the two agriculture reform bills, the Congress on Tuesday tagged BJP led central government as Kaurava of Mahabharat.

"This is a Mahabharat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government is the Kaurava and the Farmers-Opposition is on the other side (Pandava)," said senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Strongly criticising the BJP Government over the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Service Bills, 2020 and the Farming Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Surjewala said that Congress and all opposition parties will take this fight to the street.

"We support all the MPs who fought inside the Parliament against the Bill. This Government has always been trying to suppress the opposition. We will not take the fight to the street," said Surjewala.

Referring to their meeting with President Ramnath Kovind, Surjewala said that the President does not give them time.

"Being the first citizen of the country, his (President's) main responsibility is to lead the government on right directions...instead he is supporting the ruling party," said Surjewala. He said that the President has not given the opposition time to meet.

"We thought that when the Bill will go to him for his assent, President will reject it...but the President is not at all entertaining the opposition," said Surjewala.

The Congress had decided to go for a nationwide from September 24 opposing the controversial bill.

Surjewala said that Modi government is working on the behest of the corporates. "The bill do not contain a clause that the final price a farmer will get from the private purchaser should not be less than the MSP. The bill undermines the only regulated market available to the Farmers without creating thousands of alternative market," Surjewala said.

Surjewala also mocked the decision of the central government for an increase in the minimum support price (MSP) for Kharif crops in the 2019-20 session.

"The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) has already recommended MSPs of different rabi crops and this government is only playing with figures," said Surjewala.