Rohtak, Sep 22 (NationPress) Former Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Hooda, expressed concern on Monday that kharif crops such as paddy, millet, and cotton have begun entering the markets, yet the government has not initiated their procurement, causing farmers to be forced to sell their produce at distress prices.

He highlighted that paddy is being sold at Rs 300-400 per quintal below the minimum support price (MSP), millet is selling for nearly Rs 600 less per quintal, and cotton is priced around Rs 2,000 below per quintal.

Hooda stated at a press conference that following the devastating floods, farmers are now enduring yet another hardship due to government inaction.

When asked about the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), he remarked that every political party in a democracy is entitled to pursue its agenda and organize events.

“However, it is common for parties to showcase their accomplishments to the public during such gatherings,” he noted.

He criticized both the BJP and INLD for lacking any significant achievements to present.

Hooda alleged that the INLD operates as a proxy for the BJP, as the latter avoids direct contests with Congress, instead relying on allies like the INLD and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) to fracture anti-BJP votes and mislead the public.

He questioned the opposition's record, asking whether they would explain the conditions in Haryana under their governance.

Hooda reminded that during INLD's rule, there were violent incidents against farmers.

He pointed to historical events like the Meham massacre and questioned who evaded accountability during those times.

He also questioned why lands were forcibly taken from farmers during the INLD administration, why debt-laden farmers were penalized, and why arrests occurred.

He emphasized that the people of Haryana have not forgotten the rampant hooliganism and the fact that governance was often conducted from behind bars under the INLD-BJP regime.

Hooda asserted that it was the Congress government in 2005 that liberated the state from this oppressive atmosphere.

He mentioned that Congress had waived Rs 1,600 crore in electricity bills for farmers, reduced crop loan interest rates to zero, forgiven Rs 2,300 crore in loans, and established a policy to protect farmers' lands from confiscation. He challenged the INLD to reveal these facts to the public.

Turning to the BJP, he criticized the party for failing to honor any of its pre-election promises. The commitment to provide farmers Rs 3,100 per quintal for paddy has proven to be entirely illusory.

Additionally, the promise of a monthly support of Rs 2,100 for women has also fallen short, as the government imposed conditions that restricted the benefits to a select few.

Hooda accused the BJP government of intentionally delaying vital processes, including procurement, compensation, and fertilizer distribution.

He noted that assessments of flood-affected land are progressing slowly, with only 3 lakh acres verified out of a total of 31 lakh acres reported as damaged.

He urged the state BJP government to promptly conduct special land surveys and deliver financial support to farmers, stating that the complications introduced through online portals are merely aimed at denying compensation.

Hooda pointed out that while the government utilizes satellite imagery to track stubble burning, it could similarly employ this technology to identify flooded fields and compensate impacted farmers.

Reflecting on the 1995 floods in Haryana, Hooda mentioned that the then Congress government had provided direct cash assistance to farmers for all losses, including crops, agricultural structures, tubewells, homes, and shops.