Govt ''scared'' of proposed UNPA agitation: INLD

Chandigarh, Feb 22 (UNI) Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has accused the UPA and NDA of adopting ''double standards'' on the problems and demands of farmers and claimed that the proposed UNPA agitation to highlight the issue, had forced them to give pro-farmers statements now.

INLD Leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Ajay Chautala, while talking to media persons here today, said that central government was ''scared'' of the UNPA's agitation to press for implementation of Swaminathan Commission report. The UNPA move had forced the UPA and NDA leaders to ''think and give sympathetic statements about the farmers problems''.

The UNPA's protest march of February 26 inside and out side of Parliament House, New Delhi, is being organised to demand waiving off of all farmers loan in the country and remunerative prices for farmers produces, he said adding that INLD would take part in a big way in the proposed protest demonstration in which Left parties would also participate.

Mr Chautala said that UPA government was adopting ''dual policies'' for the farmers by its ''pick and choose'' policy and was giving packages to the UPA-led states only. There was need to devise a National Farmers Policy so that the condition of farming community could be improved, he stressed.

He said that Congress leaders are asking for relief to the farmers for the extreme cold in the BJP-ruled neighbouring Rajasthan, whereas in Haryana the same Congress party leaders are not finding any ill effects of cold on the fields.

Similarly, the BJP leaders are asking for the cold relief for the farmers in Haryana.

He said that in Haryana BJP was promising Rs 600 per month as pension whereas in the BJP-led states, the people are not even getting paltry amount of Rs 100 per month as pension.

Mr Chautala demanded that Swaminathan Commission report should be implemented in total. The Commission in its final report submitted in November 2006 had recommended that the minimum support prices should be fixed for ensuring a net income of 50 per cent over and above the production costs of different crops but the government was not coming forward to implement it .

INLD leader said that UNPA is organising farmer's vast conventions at Azamgarh (UP) and Jaipur (Rajasthan) on March 2 and March 9.

INLD state president Mr. Ashok Arora, Former president Mr. Sher Singh Barshami and Former vice Chancellor Dr. K.C. Bangar were also present in the briefing.

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