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Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma on Monday justified his comment on inflation, saying he had said that it helps the farmers when the price of their produce increases. Verma, who was speaking to mediapersons in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki city, stick to his earlier stand, and said that the farmers' benefit from inflation. "I had said when price of farmers produce go up, it helps them. Price of farmers produce going up is a welcome move. The farmers are not getting the benefits of their produce. If people's salaries can rise, then why can't prices?" he asked. Cutting across party lines, leaders of various political outfits earlier in the day criticized Verma for his comment. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader M. Venkiah Naidu earlier said Verma's statement, which was later supported by Union Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid, speaks of the mindset of the Congress Ministers of the UPA Government that they are anti-farmer "The statement of Beni Prasad Verma and later supported by Salman Khurshid speaks of the mindset of the Congress Ministers under the government that they are anti-farmer. Inflation, price rise affects the farmers most and then they are the worst victims of inflation because the prices of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, transport charges, diesel cost escalation. All these things will hurt the farmers very badly," said Naidu. "It's a common knowledge for anybody, who has an understanding about the agriculture. Lakhs of farmers have committed suicide because of lack of remunerative prices. The cost of education to their children, cost of health care to their families. They are all going up because of inflation only. All these things will add to the woes of the farming community," he added. Khurshid earlier today said the UPA Government is committed to the welfare of the farming community, and added that an attempt is being made to create a balance in the whole system so that both the consumers and the farmers have some relief following the rise in prices. "Please try to understand he (Beni Prasad Verma) is the Minister of Infrastructure. The idea is that if you want to give true value to the farmers, the prices will eventually increase in the market. If you lower the prices in the market, then what will the farmers get. So, where should be the balance? If there is pressure, then there should be some relief also," he said, while reacting to Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma's comment that farmers gain because of price rise. Khurshid further said the Indian economists are time and again making attempts on how to curtail the price rise in the market. Verma's remark that he was happy with the rising prices of the food items had also drawn ire of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP). "Dal, atta, vegetables have all become expensive. The more the prices rise the better it is. I am very happy with inflation," Verma told mediapersons earlier on the sidelines of a function in Barabanki, near Lucknow.

Beni Prasad Verma justifies inflation comment