NEW DELHI: Amid massive protests led by farmers over the new agricultural reforms, deputy chief minister of Haryana, Dushyant Chautala, on Thursday backed Centre's assurance on minimum support price (MSP).
He said he will resign from his post in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government if he is unable to ensure MSP for the procurement of farmers' crops.
He also rubbished the speculation of 'cracks' within the alliance partners - the BJP and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) - over the demands of the protesting farmers to revoke the new farm laws and said the Centre has accepted the demand of assuring MSP of crops.
"Our party's national president already made it clear that MSP must be ensured to farmers. The written proposals given by the Central government to the protesting farmers include a provision for MSPs. I'll work to secure MSP for farmers as long as I am in power. I will resign from my post the day I am unable to fulfil the promise," deputy CM Chautala said while addressing the media.
"The Centre has accepted the demand of the farmers by assuring the MSP in writing. It is now up to the farmers' unions to decide on it," he added.
On his party leaders lending support to the farmers, Chautala said, "I am saying that I am a farmer first. When did I ever deny that? But it is our responsibility to ensure an adequate price for their crops."
Chautala also expressed hope that the deadlock between the farmers and the Central government will end soon. He said he is constantly in touch with the Union ministers regarding the issue.
"Chaudhary Devi Lal used to say the government only listens to farmers till the time when farmers have a partnership in the government. Today, I and my party are constantly putting the farmers' views in front of the Centre. I am in touch with Union Minister though telephone and putting my views about the possible solutions of farmers' problem," the Deputy Chief Minister stated.
He further said the Haryana government has procured a record high amount of millet and other crops except rice this year on MSP and assured that in coming years also the state government will procure all grains and seed on MSP from farmers.
Chautala, whose party completed two years of formation on Wednesday, hosted a lunch for Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his cabinet colleagues at his residence in Chandigarh.
"The demand of the farmers that the Union government must ensure MSP in writing has been fulfilled yesterday. It is now up to the farmers' unions to decide the next course of action on the government proposal," he said.
The JJP has been facing criticism from within the party for not walking out of the alliance on the issue of the farmers and 'clinging to power'.
In an alliance, the JJP had extended support to the BJP, which won 40 seats in the Assembly polls in 2019, six short of the majority mark.
The JJP -- a defector of the state's once-prominent regional outfit Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), is primarily a rural Jat-centric party with farmers as its core vote bank. The Jats, a dominant farming community, comprise 28 per cent of the state's population.
The JJP has been facing the ire of the people on Twitter with thousands trolling Dushyant Chautala by using the hashtag 'Dushyant_Kisan Ya_Kursi' with more than two lakh tweets till Thursday evening.
(With inputs from agencies)