Farmers Movement Archive

BJP leaders meet to discuss violence in Delhi, farmers' agitation

Senior leaders of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) went into a huddle on Tuesday to discuss the implications of the violence that broke out in the national capital. Farmers protesting against the farm laws broke police barricades to reach Red Fort where they hoisted a flag sacred to the Sikhs. The party also underlined that there are similarities in how the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the farm laws have unfolded.Party chief JP Nadda, general secretary BL Santhosh and few other senior leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP and party general secretary Arun Singh, were present for the meeting at the BJP headquarters, said a person aware of the developments.The RSS also condemned the violence. In a statement, RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi said, “The violence and disturbances unleashed in Delhi today on the sacred Republic Day is extremely painful and deplorable. Especially the unfortunate act at the historic Red Fort, it is an insult to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for freedom and national integrity. The RSS appeals to all countrymen to rise above political and ideological differences and strive for peace as a priority.”Also read: Explained - As tractor rally turns violent in Delhi, what farmers wantNo details were shared about the meeting, although a functionary aware of the details said the party leaders see similarities in Tuesday’s protests that broke out within hours of the Republic Day parade, with the protests that engulfed the city at the same time last year when protestors gathered to demand the repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act.Last year, when then US president Donald Trump was in India, protests broke out between pro and anti-CAA groups in the national capital leading to over dozen of deaths and heavy casualties.A senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the protests have “corroborated” what the party has been alleging— that the protests have been infiltrated by “anti-national elements”.The functionary quoted above said there is a sense in the party that the protests are being fuelled by those with “vested interests” and the government’s outreach efforts are being “stonewalled”.“The timing of the protests, the way the so-called farmers have reacted to the government’s outreach is indicative of it being the handiwork of those with vested interests. Why do they refuse to interact with the committee appointed by the Supreme Court?” said the functionary.While the opposition parties, including the Congress, have alleged that the farm laws were passed without adequate discussion in Parliament and the government did not heed the demand to send the bills to a select committee, the BJP claims that the opposition is creating deliberate misinformation about the laws just as it did with the CAA, which only seeks to fast-track citizenship for persecuted minorities from the neighbourhood.“When the CAA was passed we asked the protestors to show even one person whose citizenship rights had been taken away. Similarly, now we are ready to argue on the merits of the farm laws to prove it does not take away anyone’s land. But a concerted misinformation campaign has been started about the farm laws just as it was about the CAA,” said BJP’s national spokesperson RP Singh.He said the blame for prolonging the farmer’s protest and the violence that erupted on Tuesday rests with the “lumpen left and the ultra-left intellectuals”.The protests come at a time when the party has begun preparations for electoral battles in four states—Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala- and the Union territory of Pudducherry. The BJP has been facing flak for the farm laws that the protesting farmers have dubbed as pro-corporate and for being unable to break the logjam. It was also accused of dubbing the protesting farmers as secessionists.BJP leaders condemned the violence that broke out. Former national general secretary P Murlidhar Rao said the violence is “shameful and not acceptable”.“In Indian democracy u can have a mobilisation challenging govt on policies..sometimes it may appear as humiliating for d leaders who’re at helms but u can't have a situation where its challenging d sovereignty of country n questioning d spirit of Indian Republic,” he tweeted.Ram Madhav, also a former national general secretary, attacked the Congress for fostering the protests. “After peddling all sorts of falsehoods about farm law reforms n provoking farmers into aggressive action, the Indian versions of Trump like Rahul n ilk are now demonstrating pseudo-indignation at violence. They r equally responsible for whatever happened in Delhi today,” he tweeted.

Hindustan Times

26-01-2021

India