Congress's charge on MSP a 'big fat lie': BJP

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) The BJP on Wednesday dismissed Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala's allegations that the Centre wants to end the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism for farm produce as a "big fat lie".

Taking a swipe at Surjewala, BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya said after ensuring the Congress's "humiliating defeat" in Haryana, the Congress leader has "resurfaced and is making bizarre statements".

Malviya posted on X, "His allegation that the Central Govt has cut down the paddy procurement to half, in both Punjab and Haryana, is a BIG FAT LIE." Surjewala had alleged on Tuesday that the BJP-led government at the Centre wants to end MSP through backdoor. He said less paddy procurement had taken place this year so far as compared to the corresponding period last year in Punjab and Haryana.

"There are six parts of the conspiracy. The principal part of the conspiracy is to finish MSP through backdoor, ultimately abolish the MSP, abolish the grain markets on the pattern of Bihar, gradually abolish crop purchase at MSP by cutting it down. Today, they have cut down the purchase by half, then they will cut down by more. In next 2-4 years, they will make MSP redundant, make registration for farmers on designated portal redundant," he alleged.

Malviya said the procurement was delayed due to rains but is in full swing and both states are well on track to achieve the estimates of paddy procurement by stipulated dates, which are November 30 for Punjab and November 15 for Haryana.

"In Haryana, 45 LMT of Paddy has been procured till 29th Oct, 2024 which is 87 per cent of 52 LMT procured till 29th Oct, 2023. In Punjab, 67 LMT of paddy has been procured till 29th Oct, 2024 which is 80 per cent of the quantity of 84 LMT procured last year on the same date," he said.

Compared to the previous year, the procurement of paddy in Haryana and Punjab as on October 29 is similar, compared to the pan-India procurement in percentage terms, the BJP leader said.

He added that the MSP of paddy has increased from Rs 1,310 per unit in 2013-14 to Rs 2,300 per unit in 2023-24. Since 2018-19, MSP has been assured with a return of at least 50 per cent over all-India weighted average cost of production.

Malviya accused the Congress of "misleading the farmers of Punjab and Haryana by spreading lies".

On the other hand, he added, the Congress government in Karnataka is usurping farmers' land and handing it over to the Waqf Board to appease their Muslim vote bank, rendering farmers landless.

"People of India are watching the Congress and will deliver a crushing blow to it in Maharashtra and Jharkhand too," Malviya said. PTI