UP farmer burns his paddy crop; Varun Gandhi questions agri policy; Priyanka Gandhi slams BJP government

Samajwadi Party also hit out at the BJP government over fertilizer supply.

Despite big announcements and promises, many farmers still find themselves at the receiving end after failing to sell their crops. In one such incident which has sparked criticism of the Uttar Pradesh government, a farmer in the state set his yield on fire after struggling to sell it for the last 15 days. The video of the incident has gone viral on social media with BJP MP Varun Gandhi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hitting out at the government.

“Shri Samodh Singh, a farmer of Uttar Pradesh, was struggling in the mandis to sell his paddy crop for the last 15 days, and disappointed when the paddy was not sold, he set the yield on fire. Where has the system brought the farmers to? The need of the hour is to rethink agriculture policy,” said Varun Gandhi.

उत्तर प्रदेश के किसान श्री समोध सिंह पिछले 15 दिनों से अपनी धान की फसल को बेचने के लिए मंडियों में मारे-मारे फिर रहे थे, जब धान बिका नहीं तो निराश होकर इसमें स्वयं आग लगा दी।

इस व्यवस्था ने किसानों को कहाँ लाकर खड़ा कर दिया है? कृषि नीति पर पुनर्चिंतन आज की सबसे बड़ी ज़रूरत है। pic.twitter.com/z3EjYw9rIz

— Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) October 23, 2021

It may be recalled that Varun Gandhi has been supporting farmers urging the government to initiate talks. He even wrote to UP CM Yogi Adityanath demanding strict action in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi hit out at the BJP government saying that it has left no stone unturned to harass the farmers.

“Due to mismanagement in the purchase of paddy, a farmer of Lakhimpur had to set fire to the paddy lying in the mandi. A farmer from Lalitpur died standing in a queue due to mismanagement in the distribution of fertilizers. The BJP government of UP is leaving no stone unturned to harass the farmers,” said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

धान खरीददारी में कुव्यवस्था के चलते लखीमपुर के एक किसान को मंडी में पड़े धान में आग लगानी पड़ी।

खाद वितरण में कुव्यवस्था के चलते ललितपुर के एक किसान की लाइन में खड़े-खड़े मृत्यु हो गई।

उप्र की भाजपा सरकार किसानों को प्रताड़ित करने में कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ रही है। pic.twitter.com/KCOCLIrLJy

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) October 23, 2021

Samajwadi Party also hit out at the BJP government over fertilizer supply. “The BJP did not double farmers’ income and to save their remaining income, the “double engine” government is not even providing fertilizers to them. In Hardoi, 43,900 sacks of DAP are needed, only 7,100 available, troubled farmers are making rounds of the centre every day for fertilizer,” claimed the party.

BJP ने दोगुनी आय तो दी नहीं, बची कुची आय बचाने के लिए किसानों को खाद तक उपलब्ध नहीं करा रही “डबल इंजन” सरकार।

हरदोई में 43,900 बोरी डीएपी की जरूरत उपलब्ध सिर्फ 7,100 परेशान किसान खाद के लिए हर रोज लगा रहे केंद्र के चक्कर। pic.twitter.com/ZebU4jlcNn

— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) October 23, 2021

With the Uttar Pradesh elections in sight, the opposition Congress and the Samajwadi Party have sharpened their criticism of the ruling BJP. The assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh will be held early next year.