Priyanka attacks BJP, calls for hiking sugarcane price to benefit farmers

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi hit out at the ruling BJP on Thursday over the rising prices of cooking gas, petrol and diesel,

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at the ruling BJP on Thursday over the rising prices of cooking gas, petrol and diesel, and also alleged that there has been no increase in the price of sugarcane procurement from farmers in the last three years.

While she did not clarify whether her attack was aimed at the Uttar Pradesh government or the Centre, the Narendra Modi dispensation last week increased the minimum price that the sugar mills pay to sugarcane growers by Rs 5 to Rs 290 per quintal for the next marketing year starting October 2021.

The Congress general secretary said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is increasing the price of LPG cylinders every month, and petrol and diesel prices have been hiked 60 to 70 times in three-four months.

"But the sugarcane price for farmers has not increased for three years?" she tweeted in Hindi with the hashtags "mehnge din" (expensive days) and "ganne ke daam badhao" (increase the prices of sugarcane).

Priyanka Gandhi had raised the issue last week also, stating that despite a regular increase in the prices of diesel and electricity for farmers in Uttar Pradesh, the price of sugarcane in the state has not seen any rise for three years.