Chouhan Defends BJP's Commitment to Farmers in Rajya Sabha Clash, Criticizes Congress for Insincerity

A strong debate on the MSP for crops rocked the Rajya Sabha, bringing to the fore a conflict between the ruling and opposition parties.

The exchange was in response to a question by Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman, who wanted the government to prove when farmers would actually start getting their MSP money.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan responded and said, "In our eyes, farmers are next to god. Helping them is a sacred job. Recently, we constituted a three-member committee to make the MSP system more transparent, so that there is no additional burden on farmers."

He added, "The committee has met 22 times so far on this issue. The recommendations they provide will soon be implemented. They suggest granting more autonomy in agricultural pricing and refining the distribution system.”

The Samajwadi Party MP retorted, “Avoiding the issue will not solve anything. The government must first address when farmers will actually receive their MSP.”

The MP further criticized Chouhan, asserting, “While they claim to revere farmers, it is clear they lack a true connection with them.”

As the debate intensified, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar interjected, “What is happening here? Is Ram questioning Shiva?”

In his defense, Chouhan asserted, “Our government is diligently working to raise MSP rates, and the opposition’s claims are unfounded. They allege we are anti-farmer, but no one is more committed to farmers than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We will not rest until we achieve full prosperity for them. The BJP has delivered more MSP to farmers than the Congress ever did, and we are providing Rs 1.68 lakh crore in fertilizer subsidies.”

Chouhan also highlighted the contrasts between the approaches of the NDA and UPA governments towards farmer welfare.

He sharply criticized the Congress, stating, “The Congress does not genuinely connect with farmers. Their support is merely a façade for political maneuvering. They seek to disrupt the country, but as long as the BJP remains in power, we will continue to protect farmers' interests.”