Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday hit out at the Congress, saying the Opposition party should stop lying on the issue of minimum support price (MSP) of crops as he addressed a rally in poll-bound Haryana. With MSP of crops taking centre stage in Haryana and the main Opposition party promising a legal guarantee for the same if it is voted to power, Amit Shah claimed the BJP government in the state procured crops from farmers at higher prices than the previous Congress dispensation. Addressing a poll rally in Rewari in support of the BJP candidates, Shah said: “Some NGO has told Rahul Baba that MSP would attract votes. Rahul Baba, do you know the full form of the MSP? Do you know which are Kharif crops and which ones are Rabi? The BJP government in Haryana procures 24 crops on MSP. Haryana Congress leaders should tell us which of the Congress-led governments in the country procure as many as 24 crops.” Stating the price of paddy was Rs 1310 per quintal during the Congress government, Amit Shah said it has been increased to Rs 2,300 per quintal during the BJP rule. “Form the government of the lotus (BJP) in Haryana, and we will buy the paddy at the price of Rs 3,100 per quintal,” he promised. On the issue of bajra, Shah said the BJP government increased the crop’s MSP from Rs 1250 per quintal to Rs 2,625 per quintal. “Hooda sahab, during your government, bajra was not procured [at MSP]. Even your Congress government in Rajasthan did not procure bajra [at MSP]. The Rajasthan farmers used to sell their bajra in Haryana because it was procured at MSP here [during the BJP government]. We increased MSP of wheat from Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,275 while the price of mustard was increased from the previous Rs 3,050 to Rs 5,650,” he added. He added farmers were cheques even for Rs 2 as compensation after their crops were damaged because of untimely and excessive rain. Amit Shah alleged that the Congress was spreading a misconception that the Agniveers would be left unemployed when they returned after completing their term in the Army under the Agnipath scheme. “I am today making a promise, not even a single Agniveer of Haryana would be without a job. There is a decision of Narendra Modi ji to give them a permanent job which would have the provision of pension too,” he said. Agnipath was among the key issues in the state, from where a significant number of soldiers are recruited in the Indian armed forces, in the recent Lok Sabha polls, which saw the BJP and the Congress winning five seats each. The BJP won all 10 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, too, the Congress is again raking up Agnipath to target the BJP. Taking on Rahul Gandhi, Amit Shah also said: “This Rahul Baba doesn’t have any work except spreading rumours. That’s why our Haryana has turned so backward. In the Congress government, the works were done only in one district that of the chief minister. Corruption used to increase. When another chief minister used to take over the power, the work was done in his district." After the BJP formed the government, Shah claimed the development works were done across Haryana. "Our BJP government worked for ‘36 biradari’. In 10 years, corruption has been completely wiped out.” Haryana Assembly elections will be held on October 5, and the votes will be counted on October 8.
