Farmers Movement Archive

It is important to differentiate between 'Andolanjeevis' and 'Andolankaris’': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while replying to the motion of thanks on President Ram Nath Kovind's address in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, reiterated his ‘andolanjeevi’ remark. He insisted that the farmers protest is sacred but has been hijacked by the ‘andolanjivis’ who are now demonstrating with pictures of those jailed for terrorism.“Kisan Andolan is sacred, but when 'andolanjeevis' hijack it and show pictures of those jailed for terrorism what purpose does it serve?”The Prime Minister also said that the country needs to learn to differentiate between ‘andolanjeevis’ and ‘andolankaris’.The Prime Minister had on Monday vigorously defended the new farm laws in Rajya Sabha where he had made the ‘andolanjeevi’ remark.“We are familiar with shramjivi (those who labour), and buddhijivis (intellectuals). But I see that a new group has emerged in this country. If there is a lawyers movement, a students movement, a workers movement, they will be there — either in the front or behind the scenes. They cannot live without andolans (movements). They get to all places, give an ideological stand, mislead and show new ways. The country must be saved from these ‘andolanjeevis’,” the Prime Minister had said.The comment has received considerable backlash with politicians like P Chidambaram and Akhilesh Yadav citing examples of Mahatma Gandhi as the nation’s biggest ‘andolanjeevi’.“I’m a proud andolan jeevi. The quintessential andolan jeevi was Mahatma Gandhi,” Chidambaram had tweeted.Opposition parties like the Congress and Trinamool Congress staged a walkout during the Prime Minister’s response in the Parliament. He also faced vocal opposition and his speech was interrupted by sloganeering. He concluded his speech by requesting protesting farmers to resume talks with the government.

Hindustan Times

10-02-2021

India