Bhubaneswar: Is Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar trying to influence the Padampur bye-election, questioned Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra on Thursday in reaction to a letter by the former addressed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the delay in crop insurance dues.
Drawing attention on the announcement made by the Chief Minister on November 15 about the Input Assistance for drought affected areas, Tomar had clarified that the State had not followed the necessary guidelines.
In his reaction, Patra questioned why has Tomar not mentioned about his meeting with State Cooperation Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak wherein the latter demand that the Centre should provide crop insurance and compensation to the farmers on war-time basis.
Is Tomar trying to hide the truth about the repeated followups done by the Chief Minister and the State Government regarding the issue? Is he trying to influence the bye-election in Padampur? The letter is an attempt to divert the attention of the people from its failure in providing the crop insurance, added Patra.
