Akhilesh pays floral tributes to Charan Singh on his 26th death anniversary

Lucknow, May 29 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who paid homage to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh on his 26th death anniversary here on Tuesday, recalled him as a dynamic icon devoted to empower and strengthen farmers' across India.

Yadav, along with his supporters and aides, offered garlands and flowers to Chaudhary Charan Singh's statue in Lucknow.

"Today is the 26th death anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh. He was a leader of Indian farmers and he worked for the poor, the downtrodden, farmers and villagers throughout his life. All of us and every political faction that works for farmers' rights remember Chaudhary Charan Singh," he told media here after paying the floral tributes.

The chief minister further extended solidarity with the farmers of Uttar Pradesh, saying his government was serious in resolving their plight.

"See, on the question of wheat, we have tried that the farmers get Rs. 1,285 as the sale price. However, we are taking action against the officials who have cheated the farmers. State ministers have also given a report regarding this, and believe me, every guilty official will be punished," said Yadav.

"We want the farmers to get Rs. 1,285 as the sale price for wheat, and if required, the state pool will also buy wheat and other produce from the farmers ," he added.

Chaudhary Charan Singh was the fifth Prime Minister of India, serving from July 28, 1979 until January 14, 1980.

Born into a Jat family in 1902, Charan Singh entered politics as part of the independence movement. After independence, he became particularly notable in the 1950s for opposing former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's socialistic land use policies, which endeared him to the agrarian communities particularly in his native Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)