UP: Angry exchanges between govt, Oppn over sugarcane growers

Uttar Pradesh Assembly witnessed angry exchanges between the government and the Opposition today over the condition of sugarcane growers with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan charging the previous BSP government with selling sugar mills at throwaway prices.
Dharampal Singh of BSP had asked a question on bank loans to the farmers hit by hailstorm. His party colleague and Leader of Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya alleged the government was only befooling farmers and it had not raised the sugarcane prices for successive years.
Our government led by Mayawati had made substantial increase, Maurya added.
Responding to Maurya's charge, Khan said though sugarcane prices had been raised by the Mayawati government, sugar mills were sold away at throwaway prices during the BSP rule as a result of which there was no let up in the problems of the farmers.

Maurya retorted saying only the mills that had been lying closed for 15 to 20 years were sold and the money earned was deposited in the treasury.
Khan said only a meagre amount was deposited and the real sum went elsewhere and accused the BSP government of being solely responsible for the plight of farmers. He said BSP was punished for it by the people.
Khan asked the BSP leader to go through the records to satisfy himself that maximum payments to the sugarcane growers were made by the present government.
Maurya said while the Samajwadi Party government is siding with mill owners, the Mayawati dispensation had forced them (owners) to make payment and also sent some of them to jail.