Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar attacked the BJP government saying it sought votes from people by promising better days, but 'betrayed' them and the farmers after coming to power.
Nitish Kumar also cautioned the people to be wary of GM crops, saying his party was vehemently opposed to it as these will not benefit the people or the farmers. Kumar, Samajwadi Party UP president Shivpal Yadav, JDU leader KC Tyagi, INLD senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala, INLD MP Dushyant Chautala, were the prominent leaders among who addressed the INLD-organised rally here to mark the 103rd birth anniversary of former deputy Prime Minister, late Devi Lal.
Addressing the rally, Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly Abhay Chautala blamed the Congress and the BJP of having stoked violence during the Jats protest for reservation in February and asked political parties to set aside their differences to fight them.
Chautala also pitched for a third alternative political front at the national level, saying Nitish Kumar in Bihar, the ruling Yadavs in U.P. and other like minded people should come forward for the formation of third front, "which will help to wipe out the BJP and the Congress."
Shivpal Yadav asked the people to be wary of communal forces and those who were trying to divide the people. Yadav said it was time to "root out" communal forces from Haryana and elsewhere in the country.
Calling Devi Lal messiah of farmers and the weaker sections, Nitish Kumar while attacking the BJP, said, "See what is happening today. People sought votes in the name of farmers and once in power they forgot them. What did BJP say before 2014 Lok Sabha polls, what had the Prime Minister, who was then BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, promised then. He used to say that difficult days faced by the farmers would be over now, but they (BJP) forgot them once in power". "Ever since this (NDA) government has been formed, MSP for Kharif and Rabi crops has been announced for at least five times since then. Leave alone giving 50 per cent profit over and above the input cost to farmers, the hike in MSP which used to take place earlier, even that has not happened in comparison now," Kumar said attacking the BJP.
Cautioning people against GM crops, Nitish Kumar said, "Now, they are talking about technology. Genetic Modification talk is going on, they are saying it will lead to less use of pesticide, but let me tell you it is only a myth. Whatever is being said is not correct, around the world this is still being discussed. There is no need to accept it blindly. But lobbying for its use is going on saying that it will benefit farmers. It is big companies, big MNCs in whose favour things are being said."
About the Jat stir violence in Haryana earlier this year, Nitish Kumar termed the events which led to death of 30 persons and large scale damage to property as unfortunate. Batting for liquor ban, he said that like Bihar, other states too can follow his state's example. He pointed out that number of cases of domestic violence had come down in Bihar after prohibition.
Published 25 September 2016, 16:41 IST