Farmers Movement Archive

Stop pretence of being people’s party: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has asked the BJP leadership to stop maligning protesting farmers by calling them offensive and derogatory names like urban naxals, Khalistanis and hooligans. “If the BJP cannot distinguish between anguished citizens fighting for their survival and terrorists/militants/hooligans, it should give up all pretence of being a people’s party,” said Amarinder. Attacking BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh over his description of farmers from Punjab as “urban naxals”, the chief minister said with these remarks, the BJP leadership had hit a new low in its desperation to promote political agenda. Amarinder pointed out that such protests by farmers were also taking place in BJP-ruled states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. “Do farmers protesting in all these places look like naxals to you? And does that mean law and order has collapsed everywhere?” he asked Chugh. The chief minister added that what was visible in all these states, as well as the Delhi borders, was the fallout of the BJP-led central government’s failed policy on agriculture and its mishandling of the situation triggered by the farmers’ protest. He said instead of heeding to farmers’ plea, the BJP was busy trying to demean them and stifle their voice. Amarinder said farm leaders had themselves appealed to agitating farmers not to disconnect power to mobile towers in Punjab. He added this clearly showed that what was being witnessed on the ground in some places was a spontaneous manifestation of the wrath of farmers who see a dark future ahead as a result of the new farm laws. The CM said farmers’ unions had stated that they did not want farmers to indulge in such acts. “In fact, the farmers’ unions had advised all protesters, and those standing with the farmers, to port their numbers out of the network of the telecom provider whom they had decided to boycott,” he added. He also said farmers’ leaders were themselves stressing that it was imperative for the success of their movement to ensure that it remained peaceful. “Is that the language of naxals, as Chugh is alleging?” he asked. Taking a dig at Chugh’s plea to the Union home ministry to keep an eye on such developments in Punjab, Amarinder said that it would be better for the state if the BJP leader had sought the Centre’s support in keeping any eye on the fresh spurt of terrorist movement and smuggling of weapons into Punjab.

The Times of India

2020-12-28

Chandigarh