Punjab Congress reminded Modi of his poll promises with farmers, offers blood

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress has sent a reminder to Prime Minister Narender Modi about the promises he had made with the farmers during Lok Sabha poll and also called his attention towards suicides being committed by farmers. Inderjit Singh Zeera, former minister, Chairman of the Kisan Khet Mazdoor Cell of PPCC had collected blood of farmers of state and wanted to offer to Prime Minister when he came here on International Yoga Day. Zira and other party workers were however detained by police. He said that if Modi would not fulfill the demands, the farmers and farm labourers would launch a stir against the BJP led NDA Government.Zira told Modi that he (Modi) had been acting like enemy of farmers. He accused Modi of obliging Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal by giving berth of Union Food Minister in his cabinet. Even Badal has turned mute spectator to the problems of farmers who are passing through utter distress and committing suicides. Zira warned that if farming collapsed in Punjab, the entire chain of business would fail.
Zira reminded Modi that he had promised to implement Swaminathan report for fixing mimimun support price of crops.He said that subsidies extended by Dr.Manmohan Singh government have been withdrawn including rebate in the rate of interest on loans for farmers. He said NDA Government had failed to reduce the prices of Petrol and Diesel even though rates of crude oil in international market have came down drastically.
Zira while accusing Modi of pro-Corporates said that if Modi can waive off loans of big industrial houses why he cant waive off small loans by farmers caught in debt trap. The Congress leader said that Modi government has stopped buying oil fro Iran and Iraq and buying crude oil from Syria. As a result Iran and Iraq stopped buying Basmati rice from India. The farmers are now getting only Rs.1500 per quintal for Basmati against the previous price of Rs.5600 per quintal. He said that farmers were also not paid Ras.500 crore payment of wheat procurement by the Punjab Government.