Lucknow,

12 Feb (HS): Surya Pratap Shahi, the Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister,

launched a scathing assault on the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Thursday, saying

that bullets were fired at farmers in Noida and Ghaziabad in support of Anil

Ambani. During Question Hour on the fourth day of the budget session, the

minister responded to an inquiry about land acquisition and growing

agricultural expenses from SP MP Anil Pradhan.

Targeting

the opposition party, Shahi said that the SP administration had ordered the

killing of farmers in Noida and Ghaziabad to protect industrial interests. The

farmers of Uttar Pradesh would never forget how your administration ordered

firings for the sake of Anil Ambani, he stated. He also mentioned an alleged

fire event related to the Durg Cement plant, claiming it happened during the SP

era.

Such

incidents have never occurred during Yogi Adityanath's regime, Shahi claimed. On

land acquisition, the minister stated that the current administration engages

in appropriate consultation with farmers and compensates them at market prices.

In response to Pradhan's written question on whether growing prices of

agricultural equipment, fertilizers, and diesel were raising the cost of

cultivation, Shahi refuted the claim.

He

stated that subsidies are available for agricultural equipment and fertilisers,

and diesel prices in Uttar Pradesh are lower than in most other states. He

stated that the department is developing plans to promote agricultural

mechanisation and in-situ crop residue management in order to give farmers with

farm machinery at discounted prices.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi