BSP chief Mayawati on Monday mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s holy dip in the Sangam in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj to once again criticise the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme for farmers.
Prime Minister Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme in Gorakhpur on Sunday and took the dip and offered prayers during his visit to the ongoing Kumbh Mela on the same day.
Will a ‘SHAHI’ dip in Sangam by PM Modi be able to wash sins of reneging poll promises, treachery and other state wrongs? Not possible for people to forgive BJP easily for making their life miserable through deeds of Notebandi (demonetisation), GST, Vengeance, Casteism, Communal and Authoritarian rule (sic),” Mayawati posted on Twitter.
She also said the farmers’ scheme, announced in the interim Budget, may be useful for labourers but it would not benefit farmers.
“Modi govt should differentiate between farmers and landless labourers, His Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme of Rs 500 per month may be useful for labourers but not helpful for farmers who wants remunerative price of their produce which BJP govt has failed to ensure. This is a failure (sic),” Mayawati posted on Twitter.
The scheme will provide Rs 6,000 per year to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of up to two hectares. The amount will be given in three instalments of Rs 2,000 each.
The amount will be transferred directly to the bank account of the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer. The benefit transfer will ensure transparency in the entire process and will save time for the farmers.
Minutes after Prime Minister Modi launched the Rs 75,000 crore cash transfer scheme for farmers, Mayawati said the scheme was “atrocious, arrogant” and an “insult” to farmers. She said the annual payout of Rs 6,000 to the farmers translated to Rs 500 per month and Rs 17 per day. This she said was a “pittance” and accused the BJP of merely doing lip service to the farmers.
The BSP has entered into an electoral alliance with Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party for the Lok Sabha elections, due this year. Her party will contest 38 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh while the SP would field candidates in 37 constituencies.
