New Delhi, November 19: Turning the heat on the government over its new sugarcane pricing policy, Opposition parties today said it will not allow Parliament to function till the Centre withdraws the ordinance, which they termed as a “black law”.
“Farmers are agitated over the ordinance and compelled to commit suicide and burn their crops. As long as the issue is not resolved, we will not allow Parliament to function,” BJP President Rajnath Singh said.
He alleged the decision on the Sugarcane (Control) Amendment Order, 2009 was taken without consulting the state governments or any political party.
Asked whether the party was ready for talks with the government on the issue, Singh said talks could be held only “after the ordinance is taken back”.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav told reporters that the opposition will continue to fight from Parliament to the streets against the ordinance, which he termed as a “black law”.
He said the the fight which began in Parliament today will spill over to the whole country. “The agitation will takeplace in a manner which has never taken in the past”.
Alleging that the condition of the farmers in the country was very bad, he alleged that, “Congress has done maximum damage to the interests of the farmers.All those who are in government are responsible for the plight of the farming community”.
The Sugarcane Control (Amendment) Order 2009 Ordinance has changed the sugarcane pricing policy, fixing a uniform Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) which would put the burden on states if they choose to pay more than FRP.
Yadav said the opposition is united on the issue. “Even those in government are supporting the opposition on the issue,” he said in an apparent reference to DMK.
While on the one hand, the farmers are not getting their due and the right price, on the other, the public is being fleeced due to the high cost of foodgrains, he said.
Describing the ordinance as a “loot”, SP leader Amar Singh said it was “tantamount to filling the coffers of the rich of the country and hitting at the farmers hard”.
He said the government has given directions for the import of raw sugar even as farmers burn their sugarcane.
The SP leader said the ordinance is such that UPA allies like the DMK and the Trinamool Congress are also supporting the opposition.
Singh said if need be “I will go to BJP leader L K Advani and touch his feet (to seek his support) as the issue concerns farmers”.
He also warned that if anyone (Congress) remains neutral in the issue, people of UP will punish them for that.
However, Congress leader from UP Jagdambika Pal, sought to defend the government saying the ordinance was brought in the light of a Supreme Court ruling.
Asked about the protests, he said farmers should definitely get proper price.
To a query about farmers not getting their money from the mill owners, he alleged it was due to the nexus between the Mayawati government and farmers in Uttar Pradesh.
–PTI