Condition of farmers in UP worsened under BJP rule: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow, Dec 23 (PTI) Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday alleged that the condition of farmers in the state has worsened under the BJP rule, claiming that none of the promises made to them have been fulfilled.

He said that despite claims of "double-engine government" and tall assertions of development, the reality on the ground is far from satisfactory.

"Farmers are facing rising inflation and debt burden, forcing many to take their own lives. On former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh’s birth anniversary, the BJP government has given this distress as a gift to farmers," Yadav said in a statement issued here.

The former chief minister alleged that the BJP government has only added to farmers’ troubles instead of offering any real relief.

"When they need seeds and fertilisers, there is a severe shortage. Farmers are standing in long queues for urea in the cold weather, only to return disappointed," he said.

Yadav said reports from various districts indicate that farmers are facing severe mismanagement and neglect.

The SP leader alleged that "In Shikohabad, farmers had to leave empty-handed after waiting for hours. In Balrampur, a scuffle broke out between farmers and an official over fertiliser supply. In Qaimganj too, farmers wandered in search of fertilisers as the government made no preparations." Yadav also claimed that the government has failed to ensure the procurement of paddy at the minimum support price (MSP).

"Middlemen are buying farmers’ produce at throwaway rates while officials at purchase centres direct farmers to brokers. The government is even manipulating procurement figures," he charged.

Accusing the BJP government of pushing up inflation through its policies, the former chief minister said farmers are not getting even their cost of production.

"Electricity is expensive, pesticides and seeds are unavailable, and law and order have deteriorated. The patience of the people is wearing thin," he added.

He said farmers look forward to the 2027 Assembly elections, when they will remove the BJP from power.

"Only then will the farmers and youth of the state be able to live happily," Yadav added. PTI ABN ABN SHS SHS