Sunil Jakhar on Thursday strongly criticised the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Indian National Congress. He accused both parties of trying to create an anti-BJP sentiment in Punjab as part of a “planned agenda.”
Jakhar said that the people of Punjab now understand the reality. He added that they can clearly see how the Union government is working for farmers and other sections of society. He said that in the 2027 Assembly polls, the people of Punjab will give a strong response to what he called the “lies” of AAP and the Congress.
Condemning both parties, Jakhar said they are spreading misinformation against the Central government and the BJP in Punjab. He alleged that AAP and the Congress are deliberately working together to divert people’s attention from the real issues of the state. The Punjab BJP leader said he countered a false narrative against the BJP-led Union government by presenting data.
He said that during the UPA government, the agriculture budget was Rs 21,933 crore. Under the BJP government, it has increased to Rs 1.30 lakh crore, he told reporters.
Jakhar said that under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, Rs 4.27 lakh crore has been directly transferred to bank accounts of farmers. He added that fertiliser subsidies, which were Rs 18,460 crore during the UPA period, have increased to Rs 1.77 lakh crore under the BJP government this year.
He further said that the UPA spent Rs 4.75 lakh crore on minimum support price (MSP) procurement. In comparison, the BJP government has spent Rs 18.98 lakh crore, he added.
Jakhar said that procurement of pulses and oilseeds at MSP has started for the first time. He added that in Punjab, every grain of wheat and paddy is being procured at MSP by the Centre. Targeting Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Jakhar questioned why his government has not implemented its own agriculture policy.
He said that the draft of the farmer policy has been ready since October 2023. He asked what the chief minister is waiting for. He also questioned what measure are being taken if there are shortcomings in the policy.
Jakhar said that if the government can prepare an industrial policy with the help of industrialists, it should also be able to prepare an agriculture policy with farmers. He further said that the entire expenditure on canals and water channels in Punjab has been funded by the Central government. However, he alleged that the chief minister is taking credit for these projects while also criticising the Centre.
Similarly, he said that the state government does not acknowledge Central assistance for stubble management, even though a large share of the funds comes from the Centre. He also said that the crop insurance scheme has not been implemented in the state. He questioned why the government has not introduced its own scheme despite earlier promises.
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