Centre Has Given Rs 2.11 Lakh Crore To Farmers Since 2014: Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has given Rs 2,11,000 crore to farmers since 2014 and it was working with a resolve to double farmers' income.

He was addressing a gathering in Madhya Pradesh's Jaora, which despite being in Ratlam district, is close to Mandsaur town where six farmers were killed in police firing in June last year.

"In his address after forming the government in 2014, the Prime Minister had said that the poor and farmers are close to his heart. With this theme in mind, his government has done many works for them. It has also constituted a chief ministers committee for the purpose and Madhya Pradesh chief minister is its chairman," Mr Shah said while addressing a farmer's meet.

Mr Shah said, "The Modi government has allocated Rs 2,11,000 crore for farmers' welfare during 2014- 2019 (including the 2018-19 Budget)."

Taking a jibe at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for raising farmers' issues, Mr Shah asked, "What did the UPA government do when it was in power?"

After the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power, maximum agriculture production has taken place, Mr Shah said, adding that now it was not middlemen who were purchasing farm produce.

Mr Shah claimed that the Modi government had doubled the minimum support price (MSP) of Rabi and Kharif crops in the country.

Praising Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Mr Shah said the latter is the son of a farmer and therefore knew their pain and listens to their problems.

"Those who have never touched soil are talking about farmers," he said, in an apparent swipe at Mr Gandhi.

Mr Shah also said that all round development took place, including laying of a strong road network and improvement in financial condition of farmers, in Madhya Pradesh under Mr Chouhan.

Mr Chouhan, while addressing the gathering, said the government had put Rs 32,701 crore into the account of farmers to mitigate their problems.

Earlier, police arrested activists, allegedly of Karni Sena and Mahavir Sena, for protesting against amendments in SC/ST Act as well as reservations.

Similar arrests were also made in Ujjain and Indore during Mr Shah's visit.

The BJP president also addressed a workers' convention and prayed at the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain.