Farmers don't budge; 'withdraw farm laws or will quit,' threatens NDA ally

With the protesting farmers camped at Delhi’s Singhu and Tikri borders determined to brave the cold, water cannons, police batons and even aspersions until the Centre scraps the three farm laws, support has poured in for them on the fifth day of their protest in form of solidarity from political parties and labour unions.

A representative of the agitating farmers on Monday (November 30) said their demands are “non-negotiable” and that the ruling party “will have to pay a heavy price” if it doesn’t listen to them.

The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), a NDA ally, on Monday threatened to pull out of the alliance if the Centre doesn’t fulfill the demands of the farmers.

“Shri Amit Shah ji. The three recently passed bills should be withdrawn immediately in view of the countrywide sentiment seen in support of the farmers’ movement. The Centre should completely implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission and hold immediate talks with the farmers,” tweeted RLP chief Hanuman Beniwal.

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“RLP is an NDA constituent, but its power comes from farmers and jawans. If prompt action is not taken in this matter, I will have to rethink the issue of being a partner in the NDA in the interest of farmers,” he said.

Reports say the RLP may reconsider the alliance if the BJP doesn’t keep its request.

The Shiromani Akali Dal, one of the oldest allies of the NDA had pulled out of the alliance when the Centre passed the three farm bills in September.

The Taxi Unions in Delhi-NCR on Monday gave the Centre a two-day ultimatum to meet the demands of the farmers, failing which all private cabs, taxis, autos and trucks will go on an indefinite strike in the Delhi-NCR.

The Congress on Monday launched a social media campaign to gather support for the farmers’ protest.

“The Modi government has persecuted the farmer. First it brought black laws and then used lathis against them, but it forgot that when the farmer raises his voice, it resonates throughout the country. You also raise your voice against the exploitation of farmers and join the #SpeakUpForFarmers campaign,” tweeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

BJP’s cajoling, mudslinging

The BJP blew hot and cold, trying to pacify the farmers one moment and accusing them of having Khalistani elements in their midst on another.

Union minister Prakash Javdekar said that people have misunderstood the farm laws and gave the example of Punjab farmers selling more rice than last year and at a higher MSP, to drive home his point.

A similar statement was made by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) is an ally of the NDA in the state.

“The central government wants to talk to farmers to dispel the fear of issues in the procurement mechanism. So I believe that dialogue should take place. The protests are happening on account of misconceptions,” Kumar said.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, on the other hand, linked the protests with Khalistani elements, while accusing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of making hay of the situation.

He accused the Kejriwal government of first notifying the farm laws passed by the Centre and then seizing the opportunity to “burn down Delhi” when “Khalistanis and Maoists have stepped in to oppose”.

On November 28, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had made a similar statement claiming that his government had “inputs” about the presence of Khalistani separatists in the agitation.

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Condemning the comments, Yogendra Yadav, founder of Jai Kisan Andolan said, “It has become a fashion that if you see a Muslim in the crowd, you call it an Islamic protest. If you see a turban, it’s Khalistani. Those who say such things are anti-national. This is a protest by farmers.”

The Haryana police on Monday constructed concrete barriers at the Delhi-Haryana border near Ghazipur where a massive number of farmers are staging a protest. With both the border points at Singhu and Tikri blocked by farmers, the Delhi Traffic Police advised commuters to take alternate routes to enter and leave Haryana.