Rajnath lambasts UPA Govt as anti-farmer

Muzaffarnagar, Oct 19 (UNI) BJP president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Rajnath Singh today lambasted the UPA Government at the centre as ''anti-farmer,'' saying the farmers were committing suicide under its rule.

Addressing a Kisan rally here, Mr Singh alleged that the farmers were not getting the right price for their produce.

''The UPA Government had to import wheat, while in the previous NDA Government's, reqime India exported wheat to several countries,'' he asserted.

Mr Singh charged the Centre with having a callous attitude towards the farming community and said the farmers were facing economic hardships and forced to commit suicide.

He said the country's prosperity rested on the welfare of farmers, which depended on right price of agricultural produce to them.

The BJP chief also castigated the Mayawati Government in UP for non-payment of sugarcane prices to farmers.

He announced that the BJP would continue its fight for protecting the farmers' interest.

''At the party's state working committee meeting in Lucknow on October 27 and 28, the future strategy in this regard would be framed,'' he added.

On the Ramsetu issue, he said the party was not against the Sethusamudaram project, but would not tolerate the dredging of the Adam's bridge.

''Even Mughal emperors had never denied the existence of Lord Ram, but the UPA Government has done so,'' he lamented.

Mr Singh also opposed religion-based reservations and said it would hamper the country's development.

UNI