DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday said that all crops of farmers in Haryana are being procured at Minimum Support Price and the Punjab government should also come forward and announce that the produce of farmers in the AAP-ruled state will be purchased at MSP. Interacting with reporters here on the sidelines of a handicraft exhibition, Saini said the works done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the past ten years for farmers' benefit are "historic".

He was asked a question about Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is sitting on fast-unto-death, and has also written an open letter to Prime Minister Modi in which he said that MSP to every farmer is like the fundamental right to live.

Saini said the AAP dispensation in Punjab and the states where Congress is in power should also take a decision to empower the farmers.

"Punjab government should also take a decision to procure crops of farmers at MSP. They should not have a problem in this. When farmers of Punjab are facing problem, Punjab government should come forward and announce that they will procure all crops of farmers at MSP," Saini said.

"In Haryana, we are procuring all crops of farmers at MSP and the state government is taking every such step which empowers farmers," he said. The Congress and other outfits which are part of the opposition's INDIA bloc do politics on everything, he charged.

Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.

Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces, A group of farmers made two attempts to enter Delhi on foot on December 6 and December 8. They were not allowed to proceed by security personnel in Haryana. The protesting farmers would make another attempt to march on December 14.

Saini also trained his guns at the Congress, saying it has been rejected by people of the country.

The Congress "speaks lies" and people have realised this and they have been rejected in Maharashtra also, he said, referring to results of the assembly polls held recently.

"People have put their stamp of approval..in 2029 too under Narendra Modi's leadership the BJP will form government for the fourth time," the Haryana CM asserted. The country is progressing fast and the government is working towards welfare of all sections, including farmers, and various steps have been taken for the empowerment of farmers, women, youth and poor, he further said.

To another question, Saini welcomed the Centre's move to implement its key plank of "one nation, one election", as the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday approved the constitutional amendment bill to roll out the concept of simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls.

"We used to be stuck in one election after the other. Sometimes, it is panchayat polls, sometimes municipal polls, Vidhan Sabha or the Lok Sabha polls. It not only involves a lot of expenditure in holding elections, but there is involvement of time too. We were not able to undertake development at the pace at which we want as the Model Code of Conduct comes into effect and development works get impacted," he said.

"I congratulate the prime minister and his entire team for the approval they have given to the One Nation One Election (initiative). The common people will get the benefit of this," he said.

Saini said the prime minister's vision is to make the country a developed nation by 2047 and the move will help the nation realise that goal even faster.

To another question, Saini hit out at AAP national convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

"In Punjab, they showed greener pastures to people at the time of polls, but they have not been able to fulfil," he charged.

Further slamming Kejriwal, Saini said, "he went to jail for corruption. The AAP had come to power (in Delhi) saying they will give a transparent administration and claimed they were honest. But Kejriwal turned out to be more corrupt than even the Congress."

"Again, he has started showing greener pastures to the people of Delhi. He talked about giving clean drinking water, he had talked about making Yamuna river clean. People have understood his tall claims. Now, people of Delhi are waiting for the election to oust the AAP from power," he said.

(editor@dailyworld.in)