New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday termed its promise of providing a legal guarantee on a minimum support price (MSP) for crops “revolutionary” and said its vision will soon become reality with the support of people.
Speaking during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the Ambikapur district of Chhattisgarh, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the party will implement the “Kisan Nyay Guarantee” if it comes to power at the Centre.
Gandhi also reiterated the announcement in his remarks at the public rally.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, “Farmer brothers, today is a historic day! The Congress has decided to give legal guarantee of MSP to every farmer on crops as per the Swaminathan Commission. This step will change the lives of 15 crore families of farmers by ensuring their prosperity.”
“This is the first guarantee of the Congress on the path of justice,” he added.
In a post on the microblogging platform, Congress general secretary in-charge (communications) Jairam Ramesh said: “Today, the party that laid the foundations of the Green Revolution and the White Revolution has made another historic and revolutionary announcement in favour of farmers and farmer families.”
“With the support of the people, our vision will soon become reality,” he said.
In another post on X, Ramesh said: “On the one hand, farmers are being tear-gassed and prevented from staging a peaceful and democratic protest in Delhi in support of their demands. On the other, in Ambikapur, Khargeji and Rahul Gandhi have announced that the Congress will bring a legal guarantee for MSP and follow the Dr Swaminathan formula for calculating the MSP.”
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the party has taken a historic decision for farmers.
“Party president Khargeji and Rahul Gandhiji have announced that the Congress government will implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission and give legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) to every farmer in the country accordingly,” she said in a post in Hindi on X.
A fair price for crops is the right of farmers, she added.
“They deserve a respectable income, not sticks, bullets, tear gas and violence. The Congress party stands with the legitimate demands of the farmers,” Priyanka Gandhi asserted.
The Congress, in a post on X, said: “Today Congress President Shri Kharge and Shri Rahul Gandhi addressed a huge public meeting in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh. We are determined to provide justice to farmers and have pledged to protect their rights.”
The promise of guarantee of an MSP to farmers in accordance with the Swaminathan Commission is a strong step towards “farmer justice”, the party said.
