Farmers Movement Archive

Former Union minister on dharna, but won’t quit BJP

Rohtak: Throwing his weight behind protesting farmers, former Union minister Birender Singh on Friday sat on a dharna in front of peasant leader Sir Chhotu Ram statue here on Friday and staged a symbolic one-day hunger strike with his supporters under the banner of ‘Chaudhary Chhotu Ram Vichar Manch’. He said they woud be supporting farm protest in districts bordering Delhi from Saturday. However, senior BJP leader Birender remained non-committal on his son, BJP from Hisar Brijendra Singh’s support to the farmers’ agitation and said he would not resign from the party.“I will fight for the rights of farmers, but only Brijender can answer this question (of supporting the protest). Though he is my son and I helped him in becoming the parliamentarian from Hisar, I can’t answer on his behalf,” he said. The former Union minister said he felt compelled to stand in support of farmers, especially when they were battling for their rights against three farm laws. Whether he was planning to quit BJP, he said giving support to farmers could not be seen as an anti-party activity. “BJP is the largest party today and I don’t see any issue in standing with farmers today,” he added. Asked about deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala’s announcement to withdraw JJP’s support to BJP in Haryana if MSP was revoked, Birender said pressure was mounting on elected representatives, but this was a matter between the public and representatives.

The Times of India

2020-12-19

Chandigarh