PCC chief writes to PM Modi, asks for prompt redressal of gunny bags shortage for wheat acquisition

Bhopal: State Congress president Jitu Patwari on Wednesday shot a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the state govt is unprepared for acquisition of wheat. He alleged that the state govt is claiming that it has set the target of procuring lakhs of metric tonnes of wheat. But the ground reality is that the state does not have enough gunny bags to store the wheat. "Farmers are sitting in the markets with their produce under the open sky, lamenting the mismanagement of the administrative system," the letter said.In the letter, Patwari threatened to hold a hunger protest in front of Union minister for agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan's official residence here in Bhopal if the gunny bags shortage is not addressed promptly.The state govt, which previously announced the acquisition of wheat from April 1, postponed the dates to April 10 and April 15 in different districts."This situation exists even though the country's present agriculture minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, previously served as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh," the letter said. "It is unfortunate that farmers in the Union agriculture minister's home state are yearning for gunny bags," Patwari wrote.Patwari in his letter alleged that the people of Madhya Pradesh have realised that farmers are paying the price of political rivalry and power struggle between chief minister Mohan Yadav and the Union minister for agriculture Chouhan. "Because of this infighting, the state govt is unable to exert any pressure on the Centre to protect farmers' rights," the state Congress president said.He also argued that this is not the first deception of farmers. "During the last assembly elections, your party made a populist promise to purchase wheat from farmers at a rate of Rs 2,700 per quintal. As soon as it came to power, farmers were betrayed and the promise forgotten," the letter said."First, we were cheated in the name of the support price, and now the govt doesn't have gunny bags to purchase the produce at a lower price. This situation is shameful and will test farmers' patience. Congress cannot stand by and watch this humiliation of farmers as a mute spectator," Patwari said.He urged PM Modi to coordinate between the central and state govts and ensure adequate gunny bags for wheat in Madhya Pradesh. "Otherwise, I will personally fast in front of Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Bhopal residence," the letter said.