Modi criticises Centre over ban on cotton export

Chief Minister Narendra Modi has blamed collusion between the Centre and cotton mill owners of South India for overnight ban on cotton export. This comes a day ahead of the proposed meeting of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with his Cabinet colleagues Pranab Mukherjee and Anand Sharma.

Addressing a Kisan Hit Yatra meeting at Tharad in Banaskantha district on Sunday,Modi said the Centre had always adopted anti-farmer policies. “The Centre by arranging for cheap cotton to mill owners of south tried to ruin farmers of Gujarat and other states,” Modi said in the meeting which was also addressed by other senior party leaders including national BJP vice-president Purshottam Rupala.

BJP state president R C Faldu,who is spearheading the farmers’ march across the state since April 6,said BJP in the state was always on the side of farmers. His march,which was started on April 6,aims to cover 100 talukas and 5,000 km in the state.

Meanwhile,youth thinker Nandan Pandya will address Dr Shayma Prasad Mookerjee memorial lecture at the state BJP office here on May 1,the foundation day of Gujarat. He will speak on “Decade of Growth: widening horizons of growth” highlighting Narendra Modi’s achievements as the chief minister,said BJP media cell convener Dr Jagdish Bhavsar.