Modi govt silent on giving minimum support price: Jairam Ramesh on Bharat Ratna

New Delhi [India], February 9 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Friday accused the Centre of breaking its promise to farmers and not giving legal status to the minimum support price to farmers based on the ‘Swaminathan formula’.

This comes after the Central Government announced Bharat Ratna to former prime ministers PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh, and agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan.

“Modi government is silent on giving legal status to the minimum support price to farmers based on Dr Swaminathan formula. Due to the stubbornness of Prime Minister Modi, 700 farmers were martyred during the movement, but the government broke its promise to the farmers,” Ramesh said in a post on ‘X’.

Reminding the government of the farmers’ protest in 2020, Ramesh said that farmers are ready to start another march to Delhi.

“Even today, the farmers are ready to march to Delhi, but the government is not listening,” he said.

Speaking on the Bharat Ratna awardees announced recently, he said, “Shri PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and Dr MS Swaminathan were, are and will always be the gems of India. Their contributions were unprecedented, which every Indian respects.”

The Congress General Secretary said that farmers will get justice when they are given a legal guarantee of the minimum support price on the basis of the Swaminathan formula, which would be a “true tribute” to Chaudhary Charan Singh and Swaminathan.

“Providing justice to farmers is one of the main objectives of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Our demand for ‘Kisan Nyay’ is that farmers should be given a legal guarantee of giving the minimum support price on the basis of the Swaminathan formula. This will be a true tribute to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh ji and Swaminathan ji,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, for agricultural scientist, also known as the father of India’s Green Revolution, MS Swaminathan.

The Prime Minister also announced that former Prime Ministers Chaudhary Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao will be conferred the Bharat Ratna.