Farmers' Plight: Below-MSP Market Prices Stir Controversy

The Congress has criticized PM Modi's attempts to portray a positive economic outlook, highlighting the struggle faced by farmers selling crops below minimum support prices. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh spotlighted the discrepancy in MSP and market prices, advocating for legal guarantees to support farmers.

On Wednesday, the Congress party sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attempts to project a positive sentiment about the Indian economy, accusing him of ignoring the economic woes of farmers who are receiving prices below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops.

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in charge of communications, stated that current market prices for crops such as maize, soybean, and moong are significantly lower than their respective MSPs. He emphasized that this inconsistency is spreading distress among farmers nationwide.

The Congress has called for a statutory MSP guarantee, a demand echoed by farmers' organizations and formerly supported by the ousted Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, according to Ramesh.

(With inputs from agencies.)