Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday said that the farmers of Haryana are desperately waiting for sugarcane payment, damage compensation and fertiliser.

Demanding compensation to farmers for the damage to crops due to the recent hailstorm, the Congress leader said the government should have started girdawari with promptness but despite demands raised by the farmers, the state government continues to be in deep slumber.

“It is clear from the attitude of this government that it is avoiding giving compensation. This has been the track record of this government in the last 9 years. Farmers have been waiting for compensation for many seasons as well as in the past several floods but they have only been disappointed,” he added.

Hooda said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Jannayak Janta Party (BJP-JJP) are defrauding not only the farmers but also the commission agents and workers of crores of rupees.

The former CM said the government owes Rs 487 Crore to commission agents and workers and the government has not yet paid them wages though the entire paddy season is over.

“Similarly, sugarcane farmers are also waiting anxiously for payment for a long time. It has been a month since the crushing season started in sugar mills, but sugarcane farmers have not been paid till now,” he added.

Hooda said that this government remains indifferent to the pain of the farmers and those working in the market every season. He that said everyone should be given interest on delayed payment.

“Along with compensation and crop rates, BJP-JJP have once again failed in providing fertilizers to the farmers. Farmers still have to wait for days and in long queues for fertilizer. It is clear from all the actions of the government that the ruling coalition is completely anti-farmers and workers,” he added.

The former CM said this government is neither giving a fair price for the crop to the farmers, nor is the government able to provide fertilizers and seeds to the farmers on time.

“Farmers are facing shortage of urea fertilizer and black marketing. Every season, BJP-JJP play with the farmers like this. The record of distributing fertilizers in police stations is recorded in the name of this government. Even small children and women have to stand in long queues. Despite this, the government never made arrangements for fertilizer in time,” he added.

Hooda demanded that the government should make the sugarcane payment immediately, give compensation for the pending crop damage and make fertilizers available to the farmers.