Fertiliser price rise: BJP government, MPs lack courage, says Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah on Friday lashed out at the Centre over the increase in the prices of fertilisers, calling it “anti-farmer”, and said the BJP government here and the party’s MPs had no courage to question this.

“This attitude of BJP leaders will surely destroy annadatas,” Siddaramaiah said in a series of tweets. “After troubling farmers through anti-farmer acts, the government is now making inputs costly,” he said, referring to the rise in the prices of fertilizers.

According to the former chief minister, the Modi administration had increased the prices of fertilisers by over 60 per cent. “Prices of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser were increased by Rs 1,400 per quintal from April 1. It was Rs 2,400 till April 1, but now it is Rs 3,800,” he said.

Also, the Congress leader said prices of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash went up by Rs 1,250 per quintal. “It was available at Rs 2,350, but now farmers have to pay Rs 3,600. This increase will destroy farmers,” Siddaramaiah said.

He further rejected the claim that the reason for the rise in the prices of fertilisers was the increase in international prices. “This is absolutely baseless,” he said. “Rs 1,33,947 crore of subsidy was given last year, but it is reduced to Rs 79,530 crore from this year. Hence, market prices have increased.”