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UNPA blames UPA for farmers’ plight

SAMBLA (HARYANA): Distressed farmers were forced to sell their body-parts for survival which led to the kidney scam, United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) leaders said at a rally here on Sunday.

“UPA rule has rendered farmers helpless in their own Congress-ruled State like this [Haryana]. Farmers have been forced to sell their kidney to survive,” Telugu Desam Party leader Chandrababu Naidu said at the rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) here. “The rise in number of suicide cases in different States is unfortunate. The situation is created due to the wrong policies of the government,” he claimed.

Agrarian issues are set to take the centre-stage in the budget session of Parliament as the UNPA and the Left parties would rake up the matters in and outside the House, UNPA chairperson and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said in his address. Taking a dig at the Centre for “failing” to address the farmers’ cause, UNPA spokesperson and Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh said: “While the farmers die of debts, our Agriculture Minister is busy with cricket.”

The Left parties would also join the UNPA in a joint protest rally in front of Parliament on February 26, the front leaders announced at the rally.

“People ask us if we are an insignificant alliance. My answer to them is to watch out for the Parliament demonstration. We are fighting the cause hand-in-hand with the Left partners,” Mr. Singh added.

Similar protest march has also been announced by the Bharatiya Kisan Union during the Budget session.

“Both the BJP and the Congress have failed in their promises to the farmers. While one section in the nation celebrates the economic success, the rural folks are forced to commit suicide,” Mr. Singh said. — PTI

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