Chandigarh, 11 October, 2024: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday criticized Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa for allegedly misleading the public with what he termed “half-baked knowledge.”
“This is the right time for Bajwa to say goodbye to politics, as he continually spreads lies to grab media attention,” Mann stated in a press release.
Mann condemned Bajwa’s comments regarding the PR 126 rice variety as “irresponsible, baseless, irrational, and misleading.” He stressed that experts from Punjab Agricultural University have repeatedly stated that PR 126 saves 20-25% more water compared to the long-duration variety Pusa 44.
Moreover, Mann pointed out that PR 126 produces 10% less straw, offers a 25-40 day longer window for residue management, and reduces input costs by approximately ₹5,000 per acre, greatly benefiting farmers.
According to the Chief Minister, this variety has become increasingly popular among tech-savvy farmers, with its adoption rising from 13.9% to 45% over the past five years. Mann refuted Bajwa’s claims, noting that a meeting was held on May 9, 2024, with the President of the All India Rice Millers Association and its representatives at Punjab Agricultural University’s camp office in Mohali. During this meeting, rice millers expressed satisfaction with the milling quality of PR 126.
Mann accused the Congress leader of making baseless statements that mislead farmers and the general public. He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring a smooth and hassle-free procurement process for farmers’ harvests, stating that all arrangements are in place.
He added that farmers are aware of Bajwa’s dubious character and will not be swayed by misleading propaganda from his party.
