Akhilesh Yadav slams govt over fertiliser crisis; says farmers forced to protest across UP

Lucknow, Aug 19 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) National President Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that farmers in Uttar Pradesh and across the country are reeling under a severe fertiliser crisis ever since the BJP came to power.

The former UP Chief Minister said farmers are struggling to get both urea and DAP -- two of the most essential fertilisers used in Kharif crops.

He alleged that large-scale black marketing and profiteering in fertilisers have left farmers helpless, forcing them to stage demonstrations across several districts.

“Farmers are constantly going through a crisis under the BJP government. Ever since these people came to power, farmers have been facing problems ranging from urea to DAP acquisition. First, there was a shortage of fertilisers for paddy and other crops, and even now, urea is not available for spraying on crops. Farmers are compelled to protest at various places just to secure fertilisers,” Yadav said.

The SP chief claimed that for months, reports of fertiliser shortages at cooperative societies have been surfacing from different parts of the state. He accused the government of responding with repression instead of solutions.

“Farmers are standing in queues for fertilisers, but instead of fertilisers, they are getting lathis. The BJP’s so-called double-engine government has completely failed in providing fertilisers, seeds, and irrigation facilities to farmers,” he charged.

Yadav listed several districts, including Lucknow, Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Shravasti, and Sonbhadra, where farmers are still staging protests and waiting for hours in long lines for fertilisers.

“This year, since the beginning of the Kharif season, there has been a constant fight for fertilisers. Farmers are being cheated repeatedly,” he said.

Accusing the ruling BJP of making tall claims and delivering little on the ground, the SP leader added, “This government only makes false promises. It does not fulfill them. It fails to make preparations on time. The BJP has betrayed the farmers.”

--IANS

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