Farmers Movement Archive

Uttar Pradesh: Victory of farmers & democracy over ego, says Akhilesh Yadav

LUCKNOW: Congratulating the farmer community for their relentless historic protest which compelled the Centre to announce the rollback of the three ‘black farm laws’, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said on Friday that the government may bring back the laws once the assembly elections get over. He described the development as “Ahankaar ki haar … kisano aur loktantra ki jeet” (Victory of farmers and democracy over ago). “BJP is eyeing the vote of the farmers and not bothered about their well-being. The government should bring in a law on MSP, but it will not because they (BJP government) are not interested in the prosperity of farmers. These farm laws were drafted in favour of corporate houses,” he said as an e-banner with “Saaf nahi hai inka dil, chunav baad phir layenge bill (Their intentions are not clean, they will bring the farm bill again after polls),” written on it as a couplet fluttered in the backdrop. Addressing a press conference in October, Akhilesh had announced that the BJP was planning to withdraw the farm laws in wake of the assembly elections in UP and Punjab and would bring it again after the polls. “The BJP governments in UP and at the Centre were rattled by the unprecedented support that SP got recently by farmers and people of Purvanchal and decided to repeal the black farm laws” he said, adding that they may introduce the bill again after polls. “Ye sirf vote ke liye dhokha hai (This is only a gimmick for votes),” he said. Akhilesh took a jibe at the manner in which the government asked farmers to overlook the stalemate that continued on the issue on farm laws. “What about the families of hundreds of farmers who died during protest, can that be forgotten,” he asked. “The manner in which ministers insulted the farmers, the (Union) Cabinet should take responsibility for it and the government must resign,” he said.

The Times of India

2021-11-20

Lucknow