Farmers Movement Archive

JMM, Cong say Bharat Bandh a grand success, BJP calls it political stunt

Ranchi: Ruling JMM and Congress on Tuesday termed the Bharat Bandh in Jharkhand as a grand success, but opposition BJP claimed that it failed to make an impact and said the farmers and the public at large have rejected the "politically motivated stir". The bandh, called by farmers' bodies against the Centre's newly implemented farm laws, was enforced across the country from 11 am to 3 pm. In Jharkhand, the Hemant Soren government extended support and demanded rollback of the laws, terming them as unconstitutional and an attack on "annadatas" (farmers). Left parties, too, hit the streets along with a slew of social outfits backed by them. JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharjee said, “We thank the people of Jharkhand for whole-heartedly making the bandh a grand success. Your support signifies that the next rebellion against the high-handedness of the Union government to dent all constitutional rights of the states and their people will kick off from Jharkhand. Our CM, Hemant Soren, will fight for the rights and dignity of this state." Congress leaders, who took part in the bandh in Ranchi and other districts, too, said the bandh was spontaneous. All three key ministers from Congress — Rameshwar Oraon (finance), Badal Patralekh (agriculture) and Alamgir Alam (rural development) and party MLAs came out on the streets to take part in the agitation. Party spokesperson Alok Dubey, who along with his team was at the Albert Ekka Chowk since morning, said, “The bandh was spontaneous and without any violence or untoward incidents. These are enough signs of the looming anger against the Union government. Be it farm laws, labour laws and others brought in the recent years, they were anti-people and pro-capitalist. Congress, as a party, will continue to be at the forefront to take up people’s cause from the streets to Parliament.” Another Congress leader, Lal Kishorenath Shahdeo, said while the Centre’s new farm laws are aimed at ending the minimum support price (MSP), governments with Congress as partners are giving equitable markets to the farmers. Meanwhile, BJP criticised the coalition government for "playing politics" over farmers' issues. “While the parties opposed to the new farm laws resorted to political stunts on the streets, the farmers remained unconcerned and so was the general public. That is because people have realized that the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was re-elected with a landslide mandate last year, has been working for them,” state BJP president Deepak Prakash said. Former chief minister Raghubar Das accused the ruling mahagathbandhan of shedding crocodile tears for the farmers. “Soon after coming to power, the Hemant Soren government scrapped the CM Krishi Ashiward Yojana which ensured financial incentives to small and marginal farmers and also halted the paddy procurement process after announcing it earlier this month. The farmers continue to suffer, but the state government is busy shedding crocodile tears for them,” he said in a statement.

The Times of India

2020-12-09

Ranchi