December 16, 2020 9:38:43 am
An elderly farmers shouts slogans as others listen to a speaker as they block a major highway during a protest at the Delhi-Haryana border (AP)
Days after Independent MLA Sombir Sangwan withdrew support from Haryana’s BJP-JJP government over the new agri laws, two more Independent lawmakers on Tuesday came out in support of the protesting farmers.
Dharam Pal Gonder (Nilokheri) and Randhir Golan (Pundri) urged the central government to look into the issues raised by the farmers.
Five independent lawmakers, including Gonder, Golan and Sangwan, met in Panchkula to discuss various political developments vis a vis the ongoing farmers’ agitation. Two other independent MLAs, Rakesh Daultabad (Badshahpur) and Nayan Pal Rawat (Prithla), were also present in the meeting. JJP MLA, Jogi Ram Sihag, who has been vocal on farmers’ issues, to attended the meeting.
According to source privy to the meeting, Golan said Centre should accept farmers’ demands as they feed 135 crore Indians and now the entire Opposition is standing by them. Golan also justified the decision of Sangwan in which he had resigned from the post of chairman. Gonder said the farmers are sitting on roads for the past 20 days despite severe cold adding the shortcomings (in the laws) should be removed. Two other independent MLAs, Rakesh Daultabad (Badshahpur) and Nayan Pal Rawat (Prithla), were also present in the meeting.
The luncheon meeting by Independent MLAs over farmers’ issue assumes significance as majority of the ruling BJP’s ally JJP have already openly come out in support of the farmers protesting against the Centre’s new farm laws.
After they met Khattar, Rawat said that “we took up the issue with the Chief Minister and requested him that many days have passed (since farmers have been on protest near Delhi’s borders) and a solution to the issue should be found at the earliest.”
“His reply was that the top leadership of the NDA government too wants an early resolution to the issue and has already agreed to many demands of the farmers,” he said.
Opining on farmers’ issue, Rawat said, “If you are to ask me, I am in favour of these laws because I believe Prime Minister Modi ji and Khattar ji will never take any step or frame any such law which is against the interests of people including farmers.”
“I think it is a conspiracy of opposition parties that farmers are being misled. But now the thing is that the solution to the issue has to be found and we were told that government is already doing best it can,” said Rawat.
Sihag, who along with another JJP MLA Ramkaran Kala, had joined a group of Haryana farmers in September in their protest against the farm laws, said there was no pre-schedule to join the luncheon meeting. “I dropped casually and then we all sat together and discussed the farmers issue. As you know, right from start, I supported the farmers,” he said.
He said that he did not have any meeting scheduled with the chief minister and therefore, he did not join the others.
Rawat said that the four MLAs had a dinner meeting scheduled with CM Khattar, “but as couple of MLAs had to go early, so four of us met the CM over evening tea at his residence.”
On the ruling Congress in Punjab, Rawat said, “if they are so concerned about farmers welfare, then why are they objecting to giving SYL waters to Haryana farmers.”
Meanwhile, farmers continue to hold oppose visits of BJP MPs and ministers in Haryana villages. On Tuesday, the farmers staged a protest against Kurukshetra MP Nayab Singh Saini as he visited two villages of Yamunanagar district, Damla and Khurdi. “They defaced stones meant for inauguration of two projects. They also uprooted tents in Damla village and removed chairs from the programme venue in Khurdi village,” said sources. However, when the farmers went from these villages, the officials removed paint from the inauguration stones. Later, Saini inaugurated both projects.
This article is auto-generated by Algorithm Source: indianexpress.com
