Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran on Saturday said the State government was trying to get away from the paddy farmers’ issue by terming the voices supporting them “politically motivated.”
He was speaking to reporters after meeting farmers at Ramankary in Kuttanad. Several farmers in the region are yet to receive payments for paddy procured from them in the last puncha (first) crop season, he said.
The KPCC chief said that cyberattacks against actor Jayasurya who spoke in support of farmers should stop. Jayasurya had spoken facts and no politics were in it, he said. “The Left Democratic Front [LDF] is practising goonda politics in the State. Anyone criticising the government would be denigrated using cyber goons. Jayasurya is a victim of this style,” said Mr. Sudhakaran.
He said the State government was misleading the public on payments to paddy farmers. Terming the State government’s claims that the Centre owes Kerala crores of rupees as its share of procurement price a “lie”, Mr. Sudhakaran said the Centre usually releases its share when the State submits the details at the end of the season. Once the State provides the details of the last season, the Centre will release the amount, he said.
Mr. Sudhakaran said that when farmers in the State were struggling, the government was engaged in extravagant spending.
On the Puthuppally bypoll, Mr. Sudhakaran said that United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Chandy Oommen would register a “historic victory”.
