BJP leaders are trained to lie, says Chhattisgarh CM

Raipur, June 13 (IANS) As opposition party BJP and ruling Congress continue to blame each other over purchase of paddy in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuessday said that BJP leaders are trained to lie.

While talking to mediapersons, Baghel stated, "BJP leaders are trained to lie. They think that by telling a lie hundred times, the public will accept it as truth. They (BJP leaders) have not yet learnt any lesson from Himachal and Karnataka. But the people of Chhattisgarh know that if the central government had given the amount, then why would Raman Singh have bought 10 quintals of paddy. The Centre buy crops, in Haryana, Punjab through FCI."

He added, "If the Centre had procured paddy through FCI, then why would we have to auction paddy three years ago, the state government had fixed the rate of Rs 2000-1900 and we sold it for Rs 1,300-1,400, so did the central government give money? It did not give. The loss was borne by the state government. Whether you (central government) buy rice or not, we will not stop buying paddy from farmers. Rice is not only bought by the Government of India, the State Government also buys rice. The rice that comes in the Civil Supplies Department, belongs to the state."

Baghel further said, "35 kg rice is being given to a family in the state while the Centre gives only 5 kg rice. The state government has spent Rs 5000 crore on this till now."

Meanwhile, state minister Mohammad Akbar said, "Paddy procurement is the biggest scheme of the state government. The state government takes a loan of Rs 20,000-25,000 crore every year for the purchase of paddy."

Reacting to the minister's statement, BJP state President Arun Sao said, "What Mohammad Akbar has said in the matter of paddy purchase is baseless. The double character of the government clearly shows as he (Mohammad Akbar) speaks something in the assembly and says something else when come in public. The government itself admits that the state government purchases paddy as an agency of the central government, for which the Centre has paid Rs 51,000 crore."

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