BSP walkout in UP Assembly on sugarcane arrear issue

Opposition BSP members today charged the Uttar Pradesh government with not being serious on the issue of payment of sugarcane arrears to farmers and walked out of the state Assembly.
Raising the issue through an adjournment notice during Zero Hour, Leader of the Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya said thousands of crores of rupees were still pending on sugar mills and farmers were agitated because of this.
Pressing on the admissibility of the notice, he said that instead of being serious on the payment of farmers' dues, the government was busy serving the interests of mill owners.
Responding to the concern, senior minister Ambika Chaudhary said maximum payment of arrears was made during the Akhilesh Yadav government which was sensitive towards the interests of farmers.

Chaudhary said the government has also paid Rs.5,693 crore of the period of BSP government. He said it was also the responsibility of the government to see that sugar mills do not close down as in that case too farmers would suffer.
Attacking the BSP, Chaudhary said that those who sold off government mills to private people are today talking about the interest of farmers.
Maurya was, however, not satisfied with the reply of the government and accused it of adopting delaying tactics in making payments. BSP members then staged a walk out.