Govt not responsible if farmers suffer crop loss, says BJP MP from Satna

The MP suggested asked farmers to employ shepherds for Rs 10,000 if animals were eating up the crops.

Member of Parliament from Satna, Ganesh Singh, has sparked a row with an insensitive statement on farmers. He said that government cannot be blamed if the farmers do not get minimum support price for their produce.

He further suggested the farmers to employ shepherds for Rs 10,000 if animals were eating up the crops.

This comes at a crucial time for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh as the government is already making all efforts to reach out to farmers.

The statement was made by the MP at an event of Kaushal Vikas Kendra (Skill development centre), which was attended by state’s agriculture minister, MLAs, and other district administration officials, including collector.

During the event, while the members on the stage were highlighting the work done by the Madhya Pradesh government for farmers, one of the farmers in the audience termed the government as “enemy of farmers”. He shouted slogans and was backed by other members of the audience.

It was then that the Satna MP lost his cool and started replying to the farmer. He said that it was not government’s fault if there was a natural calamity and the farmers were not getting the MSP.

And in the same breath, he lashed out at the farmers saying they leave stray animals in the field, due to which the crops get destroyed. He suggested that the farmers must hire shepherds and pay them Rs 10,000 salary.