The Congress on Tuesday asserted that the protesting farmers had rebuffed another "false offer" as they saw through the government's intentions and emphasised its dedication to ensuring a legal guarantee of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and taking additional measures to deliver justice to farmers, PTI reported.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi emphasised that the legal guarantee for MSP will not make the Indian farmers a burden on the budget, but would ensure that they become the drivers of GDP growth.
He remarked that "lies" are being spread about the MSP guarantee that is unfeasible under the government's budget. In an X post, Gandhi claimed that since Congress decided to establish a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP), "Modi's propaganda machinery and media friendly to him have spread a barrage of lies on MSP".
"Lie -- it is not feasible to provide a legal guarantee for MSP in the budget of the government of India. Fact -- According to CRISIL, giving MSP to farmers in 2022-23 would have resulted in an additional burden of Rs 21,000 crore on the government, which is only 0.4 percent of the total budget," Gandhi stated in his post. "Why does even a minimal expenditure on farmers bother them in a country where bank loans worth Rs 14 lakh crore have been waived and corporate tax exemptions of Rs 1.8 lakh crore given?" Gandhi questioned, intensifying his criticism of the ruling administration.
Gandhi argued that with a legal guarantee for MSP, agricultural investment would increase, rural India's demand would rise, and farmers would gain confidence in cultivating various crops, which is essential for the nation's prosperity. "Those who are spreading confusion on MSP are insulting Dr Swaminathan and his dreams," the former Congress chief further added.
Gandhi also claimed that the legal guarantee for MSP would prevent Indian farmers from becoming a financial burden and instead ensure that they become contributors to GDP growth. He shared a video clip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussing the BJP's commitment to providing farmers with rates for their crops based on the Swaminathan formula.
Gandhi's comments come after farmer leaders participating in the "Delhi Chalo" agitation dismissed the Centre's proposal to procure pulses, maize, and cotton at MSP by government agencies for five years, deeming it unfavourable to farmers' interests, and announced their march towards the national capital on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary-in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh alleged that social media accounts favouring farmers, labourers, and tribals were being "blocked" by the government. "And the BJP says that it wants to talk to farmers? Farmers have understood the mischief and cunningness of the Modi government. Its intentions are doubtful and hence another false offer has been rejected," Ramesh stated.
The Congress leader said: "Farmer movements are currently going on in many countries. But till now no elected government has throttled 'democracy' like this."
Besides a legal guarantee for MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases, and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act - 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.