Malhargarh (Madhya Pradesh): In an unique protest, block Congress workers on Tuesday offered coconut and incense sticks to sacks of garlic, accusing the state government of being apathetic towards farmers who were not getting adequate prices for their crops.
Enraged over garlic prices hitting rock bottom, block Congress president Anil Sharma, mandal president Kishor Uniyara, former councillor Bhanwar Rathore and Satyanarayan Rathore reached Lunaheda village and held discussions with aggrieved farmers who claimed that they were being offered just Rs 25-50 a quintal for their garlic produce. They demanded ‘minimum support price’ for garlic, and also demanded to include garlic in “Bhnavantar Bhugtan Yojana”.
The prices of garlic are so low that farmers cannot even recover the money they had invested in cultivation. Expressing solidarity with the farmers, Congress offered prayers by offering coconut and sticks on sacks of garlic in order to attract the attention of the state government towards the grievances of farmers.
Block Congress president Anil Sharma, took a dig at the Modi regime over the condition of farmers, saying that their incomes were to be doubled by 2022 but instead their sufferings have been doubled. Farmers used to get a fair price for their produce under the UPA regime but the BJP-led government has been acting at the behest of select corporate/capitalists to “destroy” farmers. On this occasion, various farmers including Mahesh Sen, Dhul Singh Rajput, Jairam Dhangar, Nagesh Sharma, among others were also present.
Similarly, Congress legislators on Tuesday dumped loads of garlic at a gate of the state Assembly on the opening day of the monsoon session, in protest against low market prices and also accused the state BJP government of being apathetic towards the farmers.
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