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Journalism of Courage
With the ruling Congress walking away with the farmers’ plank through its massive loan waiver scheme announced in the Budget, the United National Progressive Alliance on Wednesday sought to pin down the Government on the issue of rising prices.
“The prices of essential commodities like foodgrain, fuel and construction materials have reached an alarming level. This is hurting the common people across the country. The Government’s defective policies are responsible for this situation,” said UNPA convener and TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, at a press conference here on Wednesday.
Naidu said that the UNPA would be organising a workshop in Delhi on April 16 on the issue of price rise, which would be followed by four rallies in Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh to highlight Government’s complete failure on this front.
The UNPA’s call against inflation and price rise comes in the wake of Left parties’ decision to take on the Union Government on the issue in the coming days.
Notwithstanding the Congress party claiming credit for a farmer-friendly Budget, the UNPA sought to take credit for bringing the agriculture sector to the forefront of Government policies.
“While the Government was more concerned about the day-to-day movements of Sensex, it has started showing concern for the farmers these days. The reality is that it was the UNPA rallies that brought the farmers issue to the forefront,” said UNPA spokesperson Amar Singh.
The UNPA leaders asked the Government to lift the ceiling on land by categorising the farmers as marginal and small ones and also do away with the cut-off date for the loan waiver scheme announced by the Government.
Chandrababu Naidu asked the Government to implement the Swaminathan Committee report and also accept the CACP recommendation on MSP for major kharif crops.
