UP Oppn raises cane price issue in assembly, BSP walks out

Opposition BSP members today accused the Utar Pradesh government of having entered into a deal with private sugar mills over the cane price and walked out of the assembly.
Raising the issue of delay in crushing and lack of hike in minimum support price of canes, opposition leader Swami Prasad Maurya (BSP) flayed the government for compromising with the interests of farmers.
Hukum Singh of BJP, Pradip Mathur of Congress and RLD's Dalbir Singh also joined him in highlighting farmers' plight and drew attention on the pending dues and other problems.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said despite the pressure, the government had not reduced the prices of cane and assured that the government would ensure that cane growers get the declared price of Rs 280 per quintal.

Akhilesh responded to the criticism saying farmers' agitation was not just confined to just Uttar Pradesh but was also on in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
He said a deal, if any, has been made by the Centre and questioned why raw sugar was imported in huge quantity and reiterated that his government was committed to the welfare of farmers and would ensure that their dues are paid.

Akhilesh also blamed the previous BSP government for ruining the atmosphere for investments in the state.
Earlier, minister of state for basic education Yogesh Pratap Singh said BSP had left behind dues worth Rs 5,700 crore of which over Rs 2,800 crore have been paid.

He termed the earlier Mulayam Singh Yadav government as the golden period during which 36 mills were set up.
"Akhilesh Yadav has revived this process and after restaring one of the sugar mills another closed mill would also be reopened soon," he said, adding that some 100 mills have started crushing till now.
Maurya objected to the minister's remarks and said the BSP government had sent those mill owners to jail who had not made proper payment, and sold those mills which were inept.
BSP members said while cane growers were committing suicide and burning their crops, the government was striking a deal with mill owners and staged a walkout.