Modi govt defaming farmers’ movement, says RLD’s Jayant
MEERUT : Demands to repeal the three contentious farm laws, MSP guarantee to procure crops, and to stop sending notices and registering cases against those participating in the farmers’ movement were raised at the mahapanchayat organised by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in Bhainsa village, of Meerut district, on Saturday.
RLD leader Jayant Choudhary addressed the mahapanchayat which witnessed a huge turnout of people in villages from Meerut and neighbouring districts.
Coming down heavily on Prime Minister Modi and the BJP, he said that the Modi government was trying to defame the farmers’ movement since the beginning and had insulted the farmers by calling them Khalistani, terrorists and perpetrators of violence. He mentioned names of Sonia Maan and Harinder Bindu whose fathers were killed by Khalistanis and now they were serving farmers in the movement.
“The blood and identity of farmers is the same and nobody can divide them on the lines of caste, creed and community,” said Choudhary. He expressed respect and admiration for those farmers protesting at the Delhi borders for over three months.
Mentioning multiple problems of sugarcane farmers, the RLD leader accused the Yogi government of insulting farmers by not increasing the price of sugarcane. The BJP promised payment of sugarcane dues in 14 days during its election campaign, but now over Rs 13000 crore is due on sugar mills of the state, he said.
“They promised to double the income of farmers but doubled the price of diesel and petrol. Electricity department is disconnecting power lines in villages for tiny dues while thousands of crores of farmers’ dues are pending with mills,” he said.