Is Union Agriculture Minister's Statement on Soybean Seeds a Strategy to Garner Farmer Support?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Jitu Patwari critiques Chouhan's seed quality inspections.
- Allegations of a substandard seed network established during Chouhan's tenure.
- Chouhan's inspections may be politically motivated.
- New regulations for seed quality are anticipated.
- Farmers' welfare remains a contentious issue in Madhya Pradesh.
Bhopal, July 7 (NationPress) The president of Madhya Pradesh Congress, Jitu Patwari, launched a fierce critique against Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday, condemning the poor quality seeds being given to farmers in the state.
Patwari argued that Chouhan's unexpected inspection of soybean seeds at a farm in Ganjbasoda over the weekend was nothing more than a ploy to gain the favor of farmers.
He accused Chouhan of having fostered a substantial network of substandard seeds during his tenure in Madhya Pradesh.
"The issue of poor quality seeds isn't new to Madhya Pradesh. A robust network supplying these inferior seeds was established during Chouhan's 18 years in power. The Congress Party has consistently raised this issue, yet he ignored it. Now, he is staging a performance to win over farmers' trust," Patwari stated.
Patwari also pointed out that Chouhan's recent inspection of soybean seeds in his own Lok Sabha constituency, along with his critique of his party's government, serves as a strategy to maintain his political relevance in Madhya Pradesh.
"During his time as Chief Minister, he did nothing to address the supply of substandard seeds, and now he questions his own party's government. This is merely an attempt by Chouhan to undermine Chief Minister Mohan Yadav," Patwari alleged.
These remarks were made during Patwari's visit to Vidhisha for a party event, which was also attended by Harish Choudhary, the in-charge of Madhya Pradesh Congress.
It is noteworthy that during his visit to his Lok Sabha constituency in Vidisha, Chouhan personally inspected the fields and even dug into the soil to assess the condition of the planted seeds.
He identified the soybean seeds as substandard.
The Union Agriculture Minister expressed his displeasure and stated that punitive measures would be taken against the companies and organizations responsible for supplying fake or inferior seeds in Madhya Pradesh.
Furthermore, he mentioned that new regulations would soon be implemented to monitor the distribution of low-quality seeds and pesticides.