india

Updated: Nov 17, 2019 00:58 IST

New Delhi: The Congress has decided to highlight the problem of the Centre not giving in to the demand of the party’s government in Chhattisgarh to hike the minimum support price (MSP) of rice. The decision was taken at a meeting of the extended Congress Working Committee (CWC), where the party also decided to carry out rallies against the Narendra Modi government over the ongoing economic crisis, increasing job losses and farmer distress.

The meeting was attended by the CWC as well as AICC general secretaries, in-charges, frontal organisation and department heads, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents and Congress legislature party leaders. State units were called in alphabetically to speak about issues in their respective states and the status of the agitations there.

Chhattisgarh PCC president Mohan Markam said the state government has decided to fix the MSP of rice at Rs 2,500 per quintal, above the Centre’s prescribed Rs 1,815 per quintal. The Centre, he said, has refused to either hike the MSP or allow the state to procure from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) at the increased price. “The chief minister and agriculture minister has met the union agriculture minister on Friday, who told them that only the Prime Minister can decide on this,” Markam told HT.

State Congress units will also carry out a series of rallies, the ‘Bharat Bachao Rally’, across all districts to protest against the Modi government by November 25. The final rally will be held at the Ramlila Maidan on November 30 where party president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will participate.

Party general secretary KC Venugopal said the rallies had to be postponed due to the Ayodhya verdict. “PCC presidents and CLP leaders said about 60% successfully held agitations at district and state levels. Due to certain circumstances, such as after the Ayodhya verdict, and the imposition of Section 144 in some districts in some states, agitations had to be held back for some days,” Venugopal added.