BJD criticises Centre for not doubling farmers' income

New Delhi: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday criticised the Union government for paying only lip service on women empowerment and not fulfilling its promise to double the income of farmers by 2022.

Participating in the discussion on Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha, BJD MP Prasanna Acharya also raised concerns about the attempts being made by the Centre to weaken the federal structure of the country.

Raising the issue of farmers, Acharya said the government has not been able to meet the target of doubling their income by 2022. He also expressed concern over cases of farmer suicides.

"Farmers' income has not been doubled. This is the promise of the government that by 2022, farmers' income will be doubled... "Can the government say that by now, it has been able to double the income? No Sir. Farmers' income has not been doubled," he said.

Acharya asked why farmers are dying by suicides every day if their incomes have doubled.

Quoting the data of the National Crime Record Bureau, he said 42,480 farmers and daily wage workers ended their lives in 2019, up six per cent from the previous year.

"Every year the number of farmers' suicides is going up. Why?" he sought to know.

Acharya said the government is also not answering whether it will bring a law to give legal right to MSP.

On women empowerment, he said the President's address termed it as one of the top priorities of the government.

"(But) It is just contrary to facts," he said and cited examples of the Sabrimala case and the women reservation bill to prove his point.

"On the one hand we say about women emancipation and on the other hand, we prevent women from entering a temple and offer prayer to their lords. This is a double standard," the BJD leader said.

Pointing out that women's representation in both Parliament and assemblies is very low at around 10 per cent, Acharya said it is high time to bring the Women Reservation Bill.

Even in Muslim countries, women representation is higher, he said.