Assembly polls: Amit Shah woos farmers in UP

Noida, Jan 11: Wooing farmers in Uttar Pradesh which goes to assembly polls next year, BJP chief Amit Shah today asked them to help vote out the Samajwadi Party government as he accused it and the previous BSP dispensation of being responsible for their plight and claimed that agriculture has seen maximum growth in BJP-ruled states.

Projecting BJP as a pro-farmer party, he cited a host of measures taken by Narendra Modi government, including Rs 6000- crore loan package for sugarcane farmers and reviving urea plants to rev up its production as he gave a call for electing BJP to power in the assembly polls.

Addressing a meet of the national executive of the party's 'Kisan Morcha', Shah said agriculture's development is necessary if the country is to develop and claimed that only Modi government is capable of doing it, according to a party statement.

"If the agriculture growth across states since 90s is studied, then you will find that only BJP-ruled states have seen more than 10 per cent growth rate. Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have seen almost 15 per cent growth rate.

"If BJP comes to power in UP, then all problems of farmers will be addressed. You should root out the SP government and elect BJP which is most concerned about farmers," he said.

Talking about measures like 'e-mandi' and easy loans for farmers being taken by the Centre besides the crop insurance scheme which will be launched soon, he claimed it was working overtime to help farmers and boost agriculture.

Hitting out at Congress, SP and BSP, he alleged these parties were responsible for the plight of sugarcane farmers in UP and claimed the schemes being brought by the Centre will solve their woes.

He blamed the policies of previous Congress government at the Centre for the much lower contribution of agriculture to GDP compared to the percentage of people depending on it for livelihood.

The Centre's decision to change the name of Agriculture Ministry to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare was not merely symbolic but reflected its mindset, Shah said.

PTI