NDA, Left MPs walkout in LS on farmers' issues

Accusing the United Progressive Alliance government of adopting anti-farmer policies, members from the National Democratic Alliance and the Left parties on Monday staged a walk out in the Lok Sabha.

Raising the issue during zero hour, NDA convenor and Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav said despite slowdown in every sector in the last three years, farmers have been able to produce a bumper crop.

He said though this year too, the farmers expect a bumper crop, government has not made efforts to ensure its purchase and storage in godowns.

Yadav claimed that due to lack of storage facilities, foodgrains are rotting and said that in the absence of coordination between the Centre and the state governments, sacks have not been made available to store the produce.

He said the recent rains may have cooled Delhi climate, but it has damaged crop lying in open.

He requested Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who was present in the House, to immediately set up a 'war room' to deal with the situation and suggested that the Union Cabinet take a call on how to deal with the situation.

The JD-U leader warned that the "government could fall" if the woes of the farmers were ignored.

Several BJP members were on their feet demanding a reply from the government on the issue.

Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj lamented that instead of making a statement, leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee left when the issue was being raised by the opposition.

Protesting the stand of the government, members from NDA parties as well as MPs from the Left staged a walk out.

Just before the walk out, Naranbhai Kachhadia (BJP) said cotton farmers were facing hardships as there were no buyers for their produce and blamed the Centre for the situation.