Press Statement issued by BJP General Secretary Shri Anant Kumar

1) The Bharatiya Janata Party will organise a nationwide “Kheti Bachao Kisan Adalat” from 7th April 2008 to 31st May 2008. Through this movement, the BJP intends to expose the hollowness and insincerity of the UPA government's agricultural policies. This programme was decided at the BJP General Secretaries meeting held on 26th March 2008 that was chaired by Party President Shri Rajnath Singh. While holding the Kisan Adalats in every village, the BJP leaders will examine the implementation of the loan waiver scheme, irrigation facilities, supply of uninterrupted and quality power and availability of fertilizers and pesticides. The BJP leaders will also check whether the farmers are getting minimum support price for their produce.

During the Kisan Adalats, the BJP leaders will also highlight that the UPA government has till date not made any provision in the Budget for the farmers loan waiver scheme. Moreover, as the loan waiver scheme does not include majority of the farmers, their distress continues and given the lack of relief 69 farmers suicides have taken place in Vidarbha region alone.

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2) The General Secretaries meeting also decided to organise a week long “Mahangai Virodh Andolan” (Mass Movement against Price Rise) across the country from 7th April 2008 to 14th April 2008. Protest rallies, demonstrations, people awareness programmes over the unusual price hike of essential commodities will be organized at each state and district headquarter. Unfortunately, the prices of essential commodities are sky rocketing even after the so-called populist and pro-poor union budget. The BJP strongly condemns the UPA government's failure to control the price hike. The spiraling prices of essential commodities are adversely impacting the life of ordinary citizens. The UPA government has virtually lost control over any mechanism that can prevent the increase in prices. It appears that the UPA government's mindless policies are infact encouraging the prices to further increase with every passing day. The UPA government already hiked the petrol and diesel prices eight times within a short span of time. The price of sugar has risen by six per cent, rice by 25 per cent and edible oils by 33 per cent. Steel prices have also increased by about 33% during the last one month.

The BJP will strongly protest against the UPA government's failure to control the price hike of essential commodities and organise programmes to mobilize public opinion against the inefficient union government.

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3) To commemorate the death anniversary of Mangal Pandey -- the hero of the First Indian Freedom Struggle in 1857 -- the BJP will organise “Hutatma Diwas” (MARTYR'S DAY) on 8th April, 2008 at New Delhi. At a mammoth function on this day, Leader of Opposition Shri L K Advani and BJP National President Shri Rajnath Singh will hand over the “Shahid Dhuli Kalash” to the party functionaries of each district. In turn, the BJP district units will organise Shahid Dhuli Kalash Yatras in their respective districts highlighting the national spirit and heroic struggle by national leaders to free the nation from foreign rule.

Commemorating the 150 years of First Indian Freedom Struggle – 1857, The BJP will also organise “Shahid Naman” programme on 10th May 2008. The BJP calls upon the nation to observe silence from 5:57pm to 6pm on 10 May as a tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to free India from British rule.

(Shyam Jaju)
Office Incharge