Regional parties will form front to counter BJP, say Oppn leaders
UP ex-cm Mulayam Singh Yadav, RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary, former PM Deve Gowda skip event, spoiling Chautala’s plan to announce third front
ROHTAK: The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) party on Saturday organised the ‘Samman Diwas Samaroh’ in its erstwhile stronghold Jind to mark the 108th birth anniversary of late Devi Lal.
Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah, Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi and senior BJP leader Birender Singh marked their presence along with INLD supreme Om Prakash Chautala.
However, RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary, former PM HD Deve Gowda, former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav skipped the meeting, which turned out to be a jolt to Chautala’s plan to announce a third front of non-congress and non-bjp parties on Devi Lal’s anniversary.
The rally saw the Opposition leaders attacking the Modi government over three farm laws and accused it of doing ‘divisive’ politics. The Opposition leaders stressed on forming a front of the regional parties to bring change in the national politics.
Former Haryana CM and
INLD patriarch OP Chautala said farmers have been protesting against Centre’s three farm laws for one year but the Union government is reluctant to resolve their grievances.
“Our party is standing by the protesters and the Centre will be forced to repeal these laws. The government has been delaying Ellenabad bypolls due to fear of losing the BJP candidate’s security deposit. If our party is voted to power, we will waive off all loans and give jobs to every youth as per their qualification,” he added.
BJP is lying everyday: Farooq Abdullah Meanwhile, Farooq accused the BJP of “dividing people on caste and religion lines” and alleged that the party has done nothing in J&K after scrapping Article 370 from the erstwhile state.
“I want to salute Haryana as its youths are protecting our borders. People associated with BJP are lying everyday. They had promised to give 50,000 government jobs in J&K but have done nothing in this regard. They talk of Lord Ram. Ram was of everyone irrespective of religion, but BJP is calling him just theirs,” he said.
“Farmers are the backbone of the country but are forced to protest. Government should repeal the three farm laws and bring new laws with farmers’ consent. After BJP came to power, our relations with the neighbouring countries have turned bitter. To ensure peace, we need to keep friendly relations with the neighbours,” he added.
“People of J&K had chosen India instead of going to Pakistan during Partition and we love this country. No one can challenge our patriotism,” Farooq added.
Devi Lal had united society, says Badal
Prakash Singh Badal asked Chautala and KC Tyagi to bring all regional parties on the same platform to fight BJP.
“Regional parties can only understand problems of farmers and the rural population. We should make sure that regional parties form government in all states. Devi Lal had united all sections of society and should
follow his path,” he added.
Farmers earning less than labourers: Tyagi
JDU general secretary KC Tyagi said farmers of the country are in distress and are earning Rs 27 per day “which is less than what a labourer earns”.
“It’s time to review yourself in Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar could not attend the rally as the state is facing a flood situation. He has good relations with Devi Lal’s family and was the lone CM in country who made frequent visits to Tihar jail to meet Chautala. This is the time to assess the challenges being faced by people in country. Chautala should bring like-minded people on the same stage,” he added.