Farmers Movement Archive

‘‘The nation attained independence through agitation’: Akhilesh Yadav on PM Modi's ‘andolanjivi’ remarks

Former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “andolanjivi” remarks in Parliament. Yadav said that inspite of the country achieving countless rights through agitation, those who carry on the tradition are being earmarked as "andolanjivis".“The nation attained Independence through agitation. Innumerable rights were received through agitation. Women received the right to vote through agitation. Mahatma Gandhi became the father of the nation because he agitated for Africa, the world and the nation.” Yadav said in Lok Sabha.“What is being said about the agitations? That people are 'aandolan jivi'. What should I call the people who go out to collect donations? Are they not members of 'chanda jivi sangathan'?” he further said.Yadav took on the Centre over the new farm laws asking why they are not being repealed when the farmers themselves are against it, citing the allegations of corporate houses getting powerful.“If the government says that laws are for farmers, why is it not taking it back if farmers aren't accepting it? People, for whom it has been formed, don't want it. Who is stopping the government? Are allegations that you rolled out carpet for corporates and brought these laws not right?” Yadav asked in the Lok SabhaCommenting on the Prime Minister’s words on the continuation of minimum support price (MSP) in Parliament, the SP chief said that farmers have not been getting MSP for their crops for a long time. He praised the protesting farmers for awakening all farmers across India through their agitation.“Yesterday I heard 'MSP tha, MSP hai, MSP rahega'. It's just in speech but not on ground. Farmers aren't getting it, had they been getting, they wouldn't have been sitting in Delhi. I congratulate agitating farmers that they have awakened farmers across India,” said Yadav.Yadav has also been constantly tweeting in support of the protesting farmers. He took to Twitter on Monday to criticise the PM's ‘andolanjivis’ remark saying it as an insult to the country’s martyrs and revolutionaries.

Hindustan Times

09-02-2021

India