The Congress on Monday accused Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of “lying” and “misleading” the Rajya Sabha, especially on the issue of higher minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, and said the Opposition was considering moving a notice for breach of privilege against him.
Addressing the media, Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Randeep Surjewala claimed the minister’s statement in the House about enhanced MSP was just the opposite to what the Modi government had stated in a 2015 affidavit in court.
“Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s lie was caught red-handed because the Modi government gave an affidavit in the Supreme Court on February 6, 2015, stating that MSP on input costs plus 50% cannot be given to farmers of the country because this will spoil the market. Yet, the Modi government always said that it will give MSP on input costs plus 50%. The agriculture minister said the farmers do not need MSP as they were getting prices over and above MSP on various crops. The conduct, character and face of the Modi government are anti-farmer,” said Surjewala.-OPB
