Farmers Movement Archive

AAP offers legal assistance to farmers seeking action against derogatory remarks by BJP leaders

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said on Wednesday that it will provide legal assistance and support to farmer groups across states willing to file court cases against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for allegedly using derogatory remarks against those protesting against the contentious farm laws. The BJP dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and hit back, saying that the AAP is trying to “divert attention from the plight of farmers in Delhi”. “Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party have at different times described the farmers as terrorists, anti-nationals, goons, agents of Pakistan and China, etc. The farmers now want justice. It is evident that the entire BJP is strategically working to destroy and discredit the farmer movement with their relentless abuse,” said Raghav Chadha, national spokesperson of the AAP. Chadha, who is also MLA of Delhi’s Rajendra Nagar assembly segment, said: “ They now want to knock at the doors of the court for justice. Several farmers have reached out to the Aam Aadmi Party for help, for seeking justice. They want to avenge their insult. The AAP vows to extend its whole-hearted support and legal assistance to farmers across the country in this regard.” But leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said, “It is a baseless allegation. No BJP leader has abused farmers. Parties like the AAP, on the other hand, have been misleading farmers on the issue. With this new gimmick, they are trying to divert attention from their own failures as a government in the Capital and plight of farmers in Delhi who still have to pay road tax on tractors, higher power charges for irrigation, and fail to sell their agricultural produce at the minimum support prices. I have asked questions on these issues in the special Assembly session last week which chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has yet not answered.” Meanwhile, a group of AAP supporters protested outside the residence of MP Ramesh Bidhuri in Lodhi Estate on Wednesday, accusing him of using derogatory remarks against protesting farmers groups and demanding an apology. “..BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri crossed all limits and abused the farmers. He must apologise and the central government must roll back the three contentious farm laws,” said AAP MLA Atishi, who led the protest. Ramesh Bidhuri said, “This is a totally baseless allegation. The AAP leaders twisted my words. What the AAP is doing to me and the BJP should be seen as an act of defamation and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has a record of apologising for such instances in the past. Right now, he is just trying to score brownie points by misleading farmers on the issue.”

Hindustan Times

24-12-2020

Delhi