The Hindu : National : Opposition threatens to disrupt Parliament on cane price issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 18, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Opposition threatens to disrupt Parliament on cane price issue

Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI: Even as agitating sugarcane farmers plan a siege of Parliament House here on the opening day of the winter session on Thursday, Opposition parties have threatened to disrupt the proceedings to protest the Centre’s ordinance on uniform pricing of sugarcane that is lower than the State advised price.

With Samajwadi Party activists courting arrest against the ordinance in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday and Sugarcane Farmers Association in Erode planning to agitate on December 3, the issue is becoming a rallying point for the Opposition parties.

Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh, who has been in touch with several leaders on the issue, told journalists here on Tuesday that the “anti-farmer” ordinance was cleared by the government in October without taking any State government or farmers’ organisations into confidence. The ordinance introduces a Fair and Remunerative Price for sugarcane which is set at Rs. 129.84 for a recovery of 9.5 per cent for this season. “This is lower than the Rs. 145 per quintal that the U.P. State, for instance, had given farmers last year. How can you pay a price lower than last year when the price of everything has sky-rocketed,” he asked.

Mr. Singh said he had been in touch with Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Prakash Karat, Communist Party of India secretary D. Raja, Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav, Bhartiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley, Janata Dal (Secular) chief Deve Gowda, Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik, Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu and Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh. He claimed that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Bahujan Samaj Party were also opposed to the ordinance.

“We will defeat the bill to replace the ordinance on the floor of the House and not allow the House to function till the issue is resolved,” he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National