‘Two Anti-Farmer Parties’ Have Joined Hands Against Farmers: Kharge

On March 20, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regarding the recent eviction of farmers from protest sites at Shambhu and Khanauri. He characterized both parties as “anti-farmer” and accused them of uniting against the very individuals who provide food for the nation.

Kharge’s remarks came in the wake of the Punjab government’s actions, which he claimed involved initially inviting farmers for discussions before forcibly removing them from their protest locations.

In a post shared on social media platform X, Kharge expressed his outrage over the forcible detention of prominent farmer leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, by the Punjab Police. He emphasized that such actions cannot be condemned enough, highlighting the historical context of violence against farmers during previous administrations.

He recalled the tragic events in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, where farmers were shot during the BJP’s rule, and the incident in Lakhimpur Kheri, where a minister’s son was implicated in the deaths of protesting farmers. Kharge also referenced a distressing incident from 2015, when a farmer committed suicide at a rally held by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, suggesting that Kejriwal’s government failed to act in the face of such tragedy.

Kharge accused both the BJP and AAP of betraying farmers, pointing to unfulfilled promises such as the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the swift implementation of controversial agricultural laws in Delhi. He asserted that the 62 crore farmers across the country would not forget the actions of these “anti-farmer parties,” implying that they would hold them accountable in future elections.

The backdrop to Kharge’s comments was the recent eviction of farmers from the Shambhu border, where Haryana security personnel began dismantling cement barricades that had been erected to prevent farmers from Punjab from advancing towards Delhi. These barricades had been in place for over a year, as part of the state’s efforts to thwart the farmers’ “Delhi Chalo” movement. The removal of these barriers involved heavy machinery, including JCBs, to clear the Shambhu-Ambala road, which had been closed to traffic for an extended period.

In addition to the actions taken by Haryana authorities, the Punjab Police resumed operations to dismantle temporary structures on the Punjab side of the Shambhu border, further clearing the way for the road. This crackdown on protesting farmers has sparked significant backlash from farmer organizations.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced plans to stage protests outside the offices of deputy commissioners in response to the police’s actions. Both organizations, which played a pivotal role in the farmers’ protests at Shambhu and Khanauri, condemned the AAP government in Punjab for its role in the eviction and the detention of farmer leaders.

The ongoing tensions between farmers and the government highlight the deep-seated issues surrounding agricultural policies and the treatment of farmers in India. As the political landscape continues to evolve, the actions of both the BJP and AAP will likely remain under scrutiny, particularly as farmers mobilize to voice their grievances and demand accountability from those in power.

The situation underscores the critical importance of addressing the concerns of farmers, who are essential to the country’s food security and agricultural sustainability.