Stalin Peddling Lies on Pulses-Oilseeds Advisory: Sitharaman Fires Back

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman didn’t mince words Monday, calling out Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin for building a ‘fake narrative’ against the center’s call to ramp up pulses and oilseeds cultivation. The exchange reignites debates on federal roles in agriculture.

Framing the advisory as an invitation to collective food security responsibility, Sitharaman said most states embraced it in true federal spirit. Stalin alone twisted it into controversy, she charged.

She challenged him to justify continued imports over self-reliance, warning that foreign dependence makes India’s food system fragile against global shocks. For 1.4 billion people, boosting domestic pulses and oilseeds is non-negotiable for resilience.

Countering Stalin’s jibes, she shared the full advisory text. With rice surpluses in storage, states must nudge farmers towards high-demand pulses and oilseeds for income gains and supply balance.

Real progress lies in unified efforts prioritizing need-based crops over wasteful ones. Sitharaman lambasted Stalin’s divisive playbook: fracturing unity, inventing grievances, masquerading as Tamil champion.

Why import palm oil massively when local oilseeds lag? Pulses too suffer shortages. Farmers profit from gap-filling crops— a fact Stalin overlooks, feigning farmer advocacy.

India’s vision: nutrition via protein crops and savings from lower oil imports. Sitharaman called for ongoing stakeholder collaboration, sidelining petty politics for national good.