Political parties in Punjab including Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress on Tuesday, termed the Central government’s committee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) an ‘eyewash’ and demanded the government to recast it.
Senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the Centre should recast the committee, urging the government to include all stakeholders, including representatives from Punjab as well as agri-experts.
Mr. Cheema asserted that the Central government should have avoided nominating members in the committee, who were the architects of the now repealed controversial farm laws.
“Members with different mindsets and perspectives are the need of the hour as we now need to think beyond the farm laws which have been revoked, and bring in changes as per the wish of the farming community. Starting from a clean slate is the need of the hour,” he said, adding the committee should include representatives who do not have any conflict of interest.
He said there’s a need to not only finalise the MSP guarantee but also the guarantee of assured purchase on the MSP. “This is a necessity as the Central government has earmarked MSP for all crops, but only wheat and paddy are being purchased on MSP. This issue should be discussed first and finalised and implemented to the satisfaction of farmers. Other recommendations can be given later,” he added.
The Centre on July 18, constituted a committee on MSP following its assurance to set up such a panel, while withdrawing the three farm laws.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring accused the said committee as being an “eyewash”. He said the key demand of the farmers was a legal guarantee for the MSP for various crops, but while setting the terms of reference, there was no mention of a legal guarantee for the MSP.
Mr. Warring said it was a complete betrayal of the farmers in the country as they had lifted their year-long ‘dharna’ only after they had been assured that a committee will be constituted which among other things, will look into a legal guarantee for the MSP.
