Left parties' stand on farm laws hypocritical: BJP

Wherever the Left parties were in power, there was "nothing left" for farmers and the economy, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters here. 

"For 25 years, till 2018, there was a Left government in Tripura. I feel sad to say that there was no MSP in the state for 25 years. Today, Left leaders are acting as well-wishers of farmers, but all they did was exploit them. 

"The first thing the BJP did after coming to power in Tripura in 2018 was the procurement of paddy. As much as 48,716 tonnes of paddy were procured from 27,735 farmers at an expenditure of Rs 86.65 crore," he said. 

Under the Left government, farmers in Tripura were selling rice for Rs 10-12 per kg. Under the BJP government, they are selling it for Rs 18.50, Patra claimed. 

He also said the agricultural growth rate was 6.4 per cent when the Left was in power in Tripura in 2017-2018. "In two consecutive years -- 2018-19 and 2019-2020 -- it rose to 13.5 per cent," he said. 

"Wherever there is the Left, farmers have been exploited," the BJP spokesperson alleged. 

As for Kerala, he alleged that the Left cadre run the "mandis" (wholesale market) in the state, where private entities buy and sell farm produce. 

In West Bengal, Patra raised the issue of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act, which he said was "misused" by both the Left and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) governments. 

"During the Left rule, the mandis existed, but before the farmers could reach there, they had to pay the ''tola'' (extortion fee) charged at fake toll gates. This continues even now during the TMC rule," he alleged. 

The BJP leader also said while the growth of potatoes was high in West Bengal, contracts of farmers with companies selling packaged potato chips were the norm in the state started by the Left. 

"But when we spoke about contract farming, the Left accused us of selling farmers to corporates. When they do it, it is fine, when we do it, it is selling off to private entities. 

"The Left government amended the APMC Act and gave entry to MNCs...what they are saying now is hypocrisy and reflects their double standards. In their amendment, there was no provision of payment to farmers within a stipulated time, while we are saying that they should be paid within three days. So who are the real well-wishers of farmers?" he asked. 

Training his guns on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the BJP leader accused her of politicising the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, under which money is credited directly to the bank accounts of farmers. 

Banerjee wanted the money to be sent to the state government instead, he alleged. 

"Today, some representatives of the TMC met the protesting farmers. But the chief minister is saying send the money to our treasury. Basically, she wants to create an election fund. It will not be an exaggeration to say that Bengal has fallen from the frying pan to the fire. First it was under the communist rule and now, the TMC," Patra said. 

Referring to a letter published in the December 13 issue of an English daily, he said in the said letter, six demands have been made by farmers'' organisations, including the release of farmers, human rights activists and poets from jail. 

The letter calls for the release of the founder of a Maoist organisation, which was banned by the previous UPA government. 

"The letter demanded the release of urban Naxalites. Some such unwanted elements, Leftist elements have entered the farmers'' movement, which needs to be cautious, otherwise the issues of farmers will become secondary. This exposes the Left," Patra said.