CPI State secretary K. Ramakrishna on Wednesday demanded a probe by a High Court judge into the multi-crore Visakha land scam in which he alleged involvement of ruling party leaders.
Speaking to the media here, Mr. Ramakrishna said the scam was one among many in which ruling party members were involved. “A probe by Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be an eyewash. The government should initiate a judicial probe.”
Delving on farmers’ issues, he said several States were facing agrarian unrest in the country and blamed Central and State governments for the non-implementation of Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Committee recommendations.
Minimum support price
“As per the committee, the government should fix the minimum support price after adding 50% to the cost of production incurred by farmers. This norm was not followed by both Centre and States. They also backed out on waiver of loans.”
He advised the AP State government to start supplying seed and fertilizers to farmers as the monsoon arrived signalling the kharif season.
Mr. Ramakrishna said that State government was diluting the public distribution system and said both white card holders and fair shop owners were on the warpath. “The government was supposed to distribute 14 items such as rice, sugar, wheat, palm oil, kerosene through fair price shops. Instead of strengthening the public distribution system, it was diluting it.”
