Congress Responsible for Farmers’ Plight, PM Modi Empowered Them: Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini

Chandigarh, May 29 – Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini sharply criticized the Congress party on Wednesday, holding it accountable for the deteriorating condition of farmers during its 55 years in power. In contrast, he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for consistently empowering and strengthening farmers since taking office in 2014.

Addressing farmers at the launch of the “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan” at Kurukshetra University, Saini said that Modi views farmers as a vital pillar of a developed India and has worked tirelessly to make them self-reliant. He extended gratitude to the Prime Minister for recently increasing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops, stating it as proof of his continued commitment to farmers.

Taking a dig at the Congress, Saini accused the party of misleading farmers during elections by claiming that Modi would scrap MSP if re-elected. “The truth is that MSP has steadily increased since 2014 under the Modi government. Before questioning the government, the opposition should look in the mirror,” said the Chief Minister.

Comparing MSP Allocations: Congress vs. Modi Government

Providing data to back his claims, Saini said the Congress-led governments disbursed ₹7.41 lakh crore in MSP payments over decades, whereas the Modi government has provided ₹23.61 lakh crore in just ten years. Under Congress, ₹2.56 lakh crore was spent on wheat MSP, while the current government has paid ₹5.65 lakh crore for wheat since 2014.

For pulses, Congress allocated ₹1,900 crore, while the Modi administration released ₹98,000 crore. MSP for oilseeds under Congress was ₹9,000 crore; the Modi government paid ₹65,000 crore. Cotton, copra, and jute saw ₹26,000 crore in MSP during Congress rule, compared to ₹1.33 lakh crore under the current regime. “These figures clearly show how the Prime Minister is committed to increasing farmers’ incomes,” said Saini.

Haryana Leads in MSP and Compensation Reforms

Saini also detailed efforts by the Haryana government to uplift farmers. Haryana became the first state to purchase all crops at MSP. To shield farmers from market volatility, the state implemented the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana, under which ₹111 crore has been paid to farmers as price differential compensation.

Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, around 20 lakh farmers in Haryana have received ₹6,563 crore. Through the e-procurement portal, ₹1.48 lakh crore has been transferred directly to the accounts of 12 lakh farmers over the last 10 crop seasons.

Saini emphasized his personal connection to farming. “Being a farmer’s son who has worked in the fields, I understand the challenges faced by the working class. For me, farmers’ welfare is paramount,” he said. He also thanked the Prime Minister for entrusting him, a farmer’s son, with leadership of the state.

Massive Compensation Compared to Congress Era

Taking a final swipe at Congress, Saini highlighted the negligible compensation once given to farmers. “Before 2014, farmers used to receive compensation cheques of just ₹2 or ₹5 for crop damage. Today, our government gives them fair compensation,” he said. In the past 10 years, his government has disbursed ₹15,145 crore in compensation compared to just ₹1,155 crore under Congress.

He also mentioned that farmers affected by recent field fires received ₹30,000 per acre in compensation. “Every step of this government is aimed at empowering the farmer,” Saini concluded.