Chandigarh, April 9 (IANS) Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday alleged that the state BJP government engaged solely in scams under the guise of crop procurement as it “continues to impose new conditions on farmers with the intent of ensuring that the government does not have to procure crops”.

“Yet another scam is currently being orchestrated in the name of wheat and mustard procurement. Instead of actually procuring wheat and mustard, the government is imposing one bizarre condition after another upon the farmers,” the Leader of Opposition said.

“Conditions such as portal registration, gate passes, biometric verification, tractor registration numbers, general verification, and the requirement of a guarantor are being arbitrarily imposed,” he said in a statement.

The Congress leader said farmers “are being treated like criminals, all in all, the government’s objective appears to be to keep farmers entangled in this bureaucratic maze so that it can avoid having to procure their crops altogether. During the Congress regime, procurement took place smoothly, and farmers never faced any such difficulties”.

Talking to the media in Narayangarh along with state party President Rao Narendra Singh, Hooda said the party MLAs who had cross-voted ought to resign immediately on moral grounds. “They (the MLAs) have not only betrayed the party but have also betrayed the very electorate that elected them to the legislative Assembly specifically to oppose the BJP.”

Commenting on the cross-voting, party chief Narendra said strict action would be taken against all of them. “I have forwarded their names, along with my accompanying notes, to the party leadership. Further action will be initiated at the high command level,” he said.

“The Congress had fielded these individuals as candidates and sent them to the public, and the public, placing its trust in the Congress, ensured their victory. If these individuals betray the very party that supported them, the public will undoubtedly teach them a lesson. No MLA can hope to escape accountability by resorting to falsehoods,” he added.

Responding to questions, two-time Chief Minister Hooda said he has been continuously touring the ‘mandis’ (agricultural markets) in the state. He met farmers, labourers, and arhtiyas (commission agents). The farmers apprised him of the chaotic conditions prevailing within the “mandi”, and he has subsequently issued directives to the officials concerned in this regard.

Hooda said the government perpetrated a scam during the paddy procurement season last year, followed by another during the potato procurement and now similar conspiracies are clearly visible in the procurement of wheat and mustard as well.

“The BJP government does not want to let go of even a single opportunity to fleece the farmers. This is because it is an anti-farmer government, in every sense,” Hooda added.

–IANS

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