Bhopal, February 28: In a scathing attack on the Madhya Pradesh government, Congress state president Jitu Patwari has accused the ruling dispensation of hiding the dire plight of farmers behind a veil of publicity stunts. As the state gears up to celebrate 2026 as the ‘Year of Farmer Welfare,’ Patwari dismissed these announcements as empty rhetoric amid mounting farmer distress.
The controversy erupted after Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav hailed the 2026-27 budget as a landmark for farmer prosperity. Patwari fired back, stating that no amount of sloganeering can mask the crumbling farmlands and struggling agrarians. ‘The government’s tall claims of empowering fields ring hollow when farmers grapple with shrinking real incomes, skyrocketing input costs, crop risks, and a vicious debt cycle,’ he asserted.
Highlighting stark realities, Patwari pointed to relentless rises in diesel, fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, and electricity prices over recent years. Support prices remain elusive due to delayed procurements and inadequate storage, forcing farmers into the clutches of moneylenders and banks. Post-harvest payment delays and unfair market prices exacerbate the crisis, he added.
Patwari challenged the government’s backpedaling on promises to double farmer incomes, now reduced to statistical jugglery. He demanded transparency on farmer and agricultural laborer suicides between December 2023 and January 2026, citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data that underscores this as a national emergency. ‘What concrete steps have been taken for debt relief, family rehabilitation, and mental health support?’ he questioned.
If the budget truly prioritizes farmers, Patwari urged ditching ad campaigns for legal MSP guarantees, irrigation expansion, zero-interest loans, timely payments, and robust disaster relief. Congress vows to fight for farmers’ rights on every democratic platform, refusing to let propaganda overshadow ground realities.