In an exclusive interview with rediff.com's Onkar Singh on Wednesday, Chaturvedi spoke at length about the allegations. Excerpts:
Were you asked from the Congress not to speak on certain issues?
Nobody has told me anything. I had raised the issue of Pawar not doing enough for the sugarcane farmers that has resulted in the farmers shifting from growing sugarcane to sowing wheat and paddy, which had been more than adequately compensated by the United Progressive Alliance government headed by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. I raised the same issue from Kisan Manch. When I speak in parliament no one notices. And when I raise the shortfall at a farmer's rally everyone takes notice of it. If they had listened to me one year before, this shortfall in production of sugar would not have taken place.
Some of Congress members feel that you were trying to divide it from the Nationalist Congress Party. Is that true?
Those who say that I was trying to drive a wedge between Congress and NCP should reassess my statement and then form their own opinion. The UPA government had done substantial work and together they would win the next round of elections as well. We have completed two terms and we are heading for a comfortable win in the next round as well, particularly in Haryana and Maharashtra.
What is the government doing to address the menace of farmer's suicides?
There is sharp decline in farmer's suicides. One or two incidents do get mentioned in the media.
Sharad Pawar has said that it was a mistake to let the people know that the government was planning to import sugar that shot up the prices. Comments?
When Pawar has admitted that he made a mistake then where is the need to comment?
