New Delhi / Chandigarh, 14th, December.
The General Secretary of All India Congress Committee, former Union Minister and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja said that in Haryana, paddy was sold in mandis without actually arriving there by issuing fake gate passes. Paddy was brought from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and sold in the names of local farmers. This paddy scam has raised serious questions over the transparency and accountability of the BJP government in the state, even as it continues to claim corruption-free governance and administration. Kumari Selja said the government must bring the truth to light in this entire matter, take strict action against those responsible, and immediately provide farmers with their rightful dues and relief. The Congress party stands firmly with farmers and will continue to raise its voice to protect their rights.
In a statement released to the media, Kumari Selja said that serious allegations concerning Haryana’s grain procurement system and government financial management have caused deep concern among the farming community across the state. Reports of widespread irregularities in the government procurement of paddy and other crops, unusually inflated figures of paper-based purchases, and possible collusion between middlemen and officials have put major question marks on the government’s transparency and accountability. The purpose of the government procurement system is to provide security and dignity to farmers, not to ignore their rights and push them into financial loss and mental distress. Kumari Selja said that allegations of a sharp rise in paper procurement despite crop losses due to floods also point towards misuse of the state’s financial resources, which is extremely alarming. Under such circumstances, it becomes essential for the government to ensure an independent and impartial investigation into the entire matter, without any attempt at a cover-up, so that it is clearly established who is actually responsible for these irregularities. The investigation should not be limited to lower-level officials but must also include all decision-makers and those at higher levels whose roles led to this situation. She further demanded that the truth of MSP promises made to farmers and the actual procurement figures be made public in a transparent manner, so that farmers can have confidence that the government is honestly working to protect their interests. Kumari Selja has said protecting the dignity, security and rights of farmers is not merely a political issue, but essential for the social and economic stability of the state. Farmers in Haryana are today expecting justice. She asserted that any attempt to conceal corruption or exploitation will not be acceptable. The government must bring the truth before the public, take strict action against the guilty, and immediately provide farmers with their rightful dues and relief. The Congress party stands with farmers and will continue to raise its voice for the protection of their rights.
Kumari Selja said paddy scam has proved that the government has failed to curb corruption, and instead it is flourishing under the protection of officials. In Haryana, paddy was sold in mandis without its arrival by issuing fake gate passes. Paddy brought from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh was sold in the names of Haryana farmers. The paddy scam has reportedly reached around ₹80 crore in Yamunanagar and up to ₹20 crore in Karnal. She reiterated that the government must bring out the truth in the entire episode, take strict action against the guilty, and immediately provide farmers with their rightful dues and relief. The Congress party stands with farmers and will continue to raise its voice to protect their rights.
