Pune: Lashing out at the Narendra Modi government, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) president Raju Shetti said on Monday that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is proving to be a bane for farmers.
The imposition of the GST had led to a surge in prices of agricultural equipment and commodities, Mr. Shetti said in Baramati. “The GST has broken the back of farmers. The tax on the tractor trolley is 28%, while the same for a Mercedes car is 6%. If this isn’t a mockery of the farmer, then what is?”
Given their bad experience with the United Progressive Alliance regime, Mr. Shetti said, the public had looked towards the BJP with great expectations since their spectacular win in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. “But it appears that the Modi government is even worse than the Congress.”
The farmers’ leader said farmers will come together in New Delhi on November 20 to protest the Centre’s policies. “Over 10 lakh farmers belonging to 180 organisations across the country will stage a demonstration, demanding implementation of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee recommendations.”
Launching attacks on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mr. Shetti termed the much-touted farm loan waiver an eyewash.
The agricultural policies of the Centre had resulted in farmers getting a raw deal on every crop, the MP alleged. “After the tur dal crisis, soyabean seems to be heading in a similar direction. Farmers across the State are getting barely ₹2,500 per quintal instead of ₹4,500-5,000 per quintal. The State government is not making matters easy by dragging their feet on waiving farmers’ loans.”