FARMERS ARE HIT AS UREA CRISIS DEEPENS
The completion of one year of Kamal Nath government is being marked by several agitations. They include agitation by farmers, by college and school teachers and an agitation launched by the BJP demanding effective security for women.
Farmers all over the state are protesting against the shortage of Urea. Besides the BJP several other Kisan orgnisations are also providing leadership to farmers’ agitation. The shortage of Urea in the state has triggered a war of words between BJP and Congress. While the government claims that there is adequate Urea supply BJP leaders demanded white paper on Urea supply in the state.
A group of farmers under the aegis of All India Kisan Sangharsh Co-ordination Committee (AIKSCC) staged a protest outside the residence of agriculture minister Sachin Yadav in Bhopal and handed over a memorandum demanding adequate supply o Urea, besides setting up at least 4 Urea distribution counters in each society. A similar protest was staged in Sehore under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Unioin (BKU) where farmers blocked road after which Urea was distributed among them.
In Ashoknagar district farmers had a scuffle during Urea distribution. The farmers were agitated after the district administration made it mandatory that Urea will be distributed on the basis of Aadhar cards and only 4 packets of Urea would be provided to each family. “We have so far distributed more than 13000 MT or Urea which is equivalent to the Urea distributed in the entire month of December 2018. The sowing area in our district has increased. Now we have sought 3000 MT more Urea which we will get by December 12. Farmers are being given token on the basis of their Aadhar card and a copy of khasra. There was a minor scuffle between farmers who were standing in queues, but it had nothing to do with distribution” said district collector of Ashoknagar Manju Sharma. Long queues of farmers were also seen in Shivpuri district and locals staged a protest.
Some bureaucrats also took to social media to inform that there is no Urea crisis in their districts. Bhind public relations department informed that as per the instructions of agriculture minister a central Urea distribution complaint centre has been set up the state-level and any complaint could be lodged there. Mandsaur collector also shared on social media that there is no crisis of urea.
However BJP leaders were not impressed with the government’s claims. Referring to scuffle among farmers in Ashoknagar district during Urea distribution, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted. “This is an inefficiency of the state government. Farmers have to set their work aside and stand in queues for two to three days for Urea. They are losing their patience but I urge them t have patience”.
Leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava tweeted “The state government is claiming that there is no Urea crisis in the state. I think the entire government is sleeping. There is chaos for Urea in the entire state”.
Former minister Narottam Mishra demanded a white paper on the Urea crisis in the state. “The Urea crisis is due to the mismanagement by the government. The shortage of Urea has put farmers in distress. The government should immediately release a white paper on the status of urea”, Mishra said.
While BJP blames mismanagement for the Urea crisis Congress blames centre for the Urea crisis. State public relations minister PC Sharma hit out at the Union government for the Urea crisis. He also slammed former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his sit in protest against shortage of Urea and delay in cases related to crimes against women.
“The Urea crisis in MP is a result of Centre’s negligence and dilly-dallying. We had submitted our requirement to the Centre on time, but nothing was done. Shivraj should sit in dharna in New Delhi instead of playing political drama here” Sharma told reporters.
Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also staged dharna in Bhopal demanding justice for 12 year old girl who was raped and murdered in Bhopal eight months ago. Chouhan staged a sit in with the victim’s mother, who wanted that the culprits be “punished in the manner as Telangana police dealt with the men accused of raping and killing vet in Hyderabad”. Chouhan demanded quick disposal of the case in fast track court and capital punishment. There were tense moments when Chouhan tried to break police barricades.
PCC media department chairperson Shonbh OZa tweeted “Shivraj Singh Chouhan is trying to gain political mileage by staging a protest but he should first explain how MP became the number 1 state in cases of rape and how his government protected alleged rapists and murderers of woman Congress
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