Mumbai: Criticism of the government’s decision to import sugar from Pakistan is growing with the Congress now questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier claims of taking a tough stand against the neighbouring country.
After the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Congress has demanded to know the circumstances under which permission to a private company was given to import sugar at a time when the country was running a surplus of 320 lakh tonnes in stock, party leaders said here on Monday.
New Delhi-based Sakma Exports Ltd. was allowed to export chocolates to Pakistan in return of import of 20 lakh tonnes of sugar under the barter system, Congress leaders said. “This was being done at the cost of our farmers who are committing suicide in the State. As a result of this decision, prices too have crashed. Who is responsible for this?” former Maharashtra Cabinet minister and senior Congress leader Harshvardhan Patil said, claiming the “lopsided” import policy has already led to a loss of Rs 30,000 crore to the local industry. The losses in Maharashtra alone was to the tune of Rs 3,000 cr, Mr Patil claimed.
Congress State president Ashok Chavan further alleged the sugar prices collapsed due to the ‘untimely and unnecessary’ import from Pakistan to “Rs. 24,000 per quintal from Rs. 36,000 earlier”.
The senior leader took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, he said, had promised to bring back fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim from Pakistan but instead instead got sugar. At the same time, “the Shiv Sena, an ally of Mr. Modi, did not oppose the import policy when they oppose everything else the government does,” the senior Congress leader said.
The central government had recently reiterated its commitment to supporting a struggling sugar industry, which is faced with depressed market sentiments and a crash in prices.
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan had in Mumbai on May 5 reiterated his government’s commitment to ensuring liquidity, financial assistance and support to sugar mills to offset the crunch resulting from the falling cost of cane. Mill owners had said while they welcomed the announcement, the government needed to do more on the ground and walk the talk before it could win their trust.
