Mulayam slams Centre for importing wheat, ban on sugar export

Meerut, Dec 16 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today criticised the UPA government at the Centre and called the ban on the export of sugar and import of wheat ''anti-farmer''.

Addressing a public meeting here after laying the foundation stones for a number of projects worth around Rs 107 crore, Mr Yadav said the ban on the export of sugar has hit the sugar cane growers adversely. He claimed that Uttar Pradesh, in the last three years, had become the highest sugar producing state in the country.

He also condemned the Centre's decision of importing wheat from Australia and said the UPA government's decision was basically anti-farmers. He urged the Centre to stop the import of wheat and demanded that sugarcane prices be hiked.

Citing examples, the Chief Minister said that multi-national companies and other private players were paying an advance of Rs 950 per quintal of wheat while the Centre had fixed a Minimum Support Price of Rs 750.

Regarding the demand by various political parties for the dismissal of the Samajwadi Party government in the state, Mr Yadav said such a move by the Centre will only make people support the party in the upcoming assembly elections.

''Whether the state government is dismissed or not, Samajwadi Party will come back to power in Uttar Pradesh,'' he added.

Mr Yadav also said the Samajwadi Party will play an important role in the elections in Uttaranchal, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

UNI PA MIR HT1925