Akhilesh’s Promises For UP Farmers: MSP For Every Crop, Rs 25 Lakh For Kin Of Those Who Died During Farm Laws Protest

Akhilesh Yadav hit out at the BJP, accusing the ruling party of neglecting farmers during its rule.

File Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday made several promises to the farmers of Uttar Pradesh ahead of the seven-phase polling in the state.

The former UP chief minister’s promises include MSP for every crop, free irrigation facilities, payment of arrears to cane-growers in 15 days, interest-free loans, and insurance and pension, news agency PTI reported.

Akhilesh Yadav has committed that cases lodged against farmers during their protest against the now-repealed agrarian laws would be withdrawn, and the families of farmers who died during the agitation would be given Rs 25 lakh each.

Speaking to the media in Lucknow, the Samajwadi Party chief said that the promises for farmers would be part of the party’s election manifesto for the assembly election in the state.

He said that, if needed, a special ‘Farmers Revolving Fund’ would be created to ensure the payment of arrears to sugarcane farmers in 15 days.

Akhilesh Yadav even took an “Anna Sankalp” to express his firm resolve for the welfare of the farmers in the state, as he announced the party’s blueprint.

He mentioned that the Samajwadi Party has already vowed to provide 300 units of electricity to everybody.

Western Uttar Pradesh, from where many farmers had participated in the stir against the Centre’s agrarian laws, is scheduled to vote in the first phase of polling on February 10.

As SP eyes to gather farmers’ support, Akhilesh Yadav hit out at BJP, accusing the ruling party of neglecting farmers during its rule.

“The BJP in its 2017 polls manifesto had promised to double the income of the farmers. Has it been achieved?” he asked, as quoted by PTI.

Bringing up the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which four farmers were knocked down by a four-wheeler in October last year, the former UP CM remarked that the incident was even worse than the infamous Jallianwala Bagh case during British rule.

“In the Jallianwala Bagh case innocent people were killed by the Britishers by shooting them in their chest, but in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident innocent farmers returning home were crushed under the wheels of the vehicle,” he said.

He also attacked BJP for “not initiating any action” against Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni whose son Ashish was described by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) as the main accused in the case and is currently lodged in jail.

The Samajwadi Party supremo was accompanied by Tejinder Singh Virk, who had led the farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri against the visit of Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya to Ajay Mishra’s native place. Tejinder Virk had alleged that the vehicles that ran over the protesters that day also targeted him.

Meanwhile, when asked if Tejinder Virk would be fielded by SP, Akhilesh Yadav remained non-committal. To another question on whether the Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait will get the SP nomination, he jibed: “If you bring him to me I will certainly consider so”.

Uttar Pradesh assembly election will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. 

(With Agency Inputs)