Sidhu slams Centre over MSP hike, asks if farmers' income matched spending

He also termed the promise of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 as a “jumla” while stressing that the Centre framed its contentious farm laws without having any data about farmers' financial position. 

The Centre on Wednesday had hiked the minimum support price (MSP) for wheat by Rs 40 to Rs 2,015 per quintal. 

“Central Govt promised to double farmer income by 2022 but increased FRP on sugarcane by 1.75% (just ₹ 5) MSP on wheat by 2% (just ₹ 40). Meanwhile, in last one year expenses have increased diesel by 48% DAP by 140% Mustard Oil by 174% sunflower Oil by 170% LPG cylinder by 190 Rs,” said Sidhu in a tweet. 

In a video uploaded on his Twitter handle, Sidhu said the Union government led by PM Narendra Modi had said that it wanted to double farmers' income but Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar had said that his ministry had no data related to farmers' financial position. 

“If you do not have data related to farmers' financial position, then how could you frame three farm laws by giving a 'jumla' of doubling their income,” he said. 

He said the wheat MSP hike of Rs 40 per quintal was just two per cent increase and lowest in the past 12 years. 

Citing rising cost of items, including diesel and mustard oil, in the past one year, Sidhu asked the Centre whether the income of farmers grew in the same proportion. 

While hitting out at the Centre for the three farm legislations, Sidhu said in another tweet, “Farmer Income-No Data Available, Farmer Suicide - No Data Available, Job Loss-No Data Available, Migrant Labour - No Data Available, Now NDA means No Data Available.” He alleged that the three farm laws were brought to “benefit” some corporates. 

“NDA means No Data Available about Farmers, Labour & Small Traders …Govt only knows about its rich corporate friends, whose debt it waives-off, whose planes it travels in & who make their Policies, such as the three farm laws, which benefit 0.1%, while looting the 70% of Indians,” he alleged in another tweet. 

The cricketer-turned-politician also took on the Badals over the issue of farm laws and accused them of “shedding crocodile tears”, saying they first backed the legislations and later took a U-turn under public pressure. 

Sidhu said Harsimrat Badal resigned as Union minister not voluntarily but under public pressure and asked her to make public the “dissenting note” given on farm ordinances. 

He also criticised the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi over the farm law issue, alleging it notified one of the three farm laws last year. Sidhu asked the Delhi government whether it had denotified it. 

“Sukhbir Badal supported farm laws at all-party meet in June 2020, Prakash S. Badal & Harsimrat Badal made videos favouring farm laws up till Sept 2020 before U-turn under public pressure … AAP's Delhi govt implemented farm laws in private mandis while faking support to farmers,” said Sidhu in another tweet.