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Modi govt has lost trust of farmers, PM should directly talk to them, says SAD’s Harsimrat

Former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal also attacked Punjab govt and CM Amarinder Singh for failing to fulfil his responsibility as guardian of the state & its people.

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New Delhi: A day before the government’s eighth round of talks with protesting farm unions, SAD leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the Centre has lost the trust of the entire farming community and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should directly talk to agitating farmers.

Expressing her anguish over the pain of farmers, Badal, leader of the ruling BJP’s erstwhile ally, said, “It is strange that farmers are spending nights in open during the chilling winters and even then their demands are falling on deaf ears.”

In an interview to PTI, Badal who resigned from Union Cabinet in September last year when the three farm bills were being passed in Lok Sabha, said what farmers have gone through in last six-seven weeks, is the same what she went through when she was a Union Minister.

“…To avoid the situation which has arisen now and the protest, I kept pleading for months, whether it was in cabinet meetings or in direct meetings with top leaders of the central government that please listen to farmers before bringing these three bills as they are ‘annadaatas’ of the country, otherwise it would lead to agitations and protests. But my all pleas fell on to deaf ears,” she said.

Asking who will be held responsible for deaths of farmers during the protest, Badal said the Centre has lost the trust of farmers across the country.

“Farmers are dying at the doorstep of the central government while protesting for their demands. Who will be responsible for deaths of ‘annadaatas’ of the country?” Badal said.

Talking about the ongoing meetings between protesting farmers and Centre, Badal said after seven rounds of meetings nothing concrete has come out.

“After several rounds of meetings if ministers are unable to resolve the farmers’ issues then Prime Minister Narendra Modi should directly talk to protesting farmers,” Badal said.

She also attacked the Congress-led Punjab government and state chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and said he has failed to fulfill his responsibility as guardian of the state and its people.

“Both the central and state governments are equal partners in this crime against farmers. While farmers were sitting on dharna, the Chief Minister of Punjab was having fun in his farmhouse. Captain Amarinder Singh has miserably failed to fulfil his responsibilities as chief minister of Punjab and as guardian of its people,” Badal said.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal was Union Food Processing Minister in the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and resigned when the bills were taken up for passage in Lok Sabha.

Her husband and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had announced her resignation in the lower house while participating in the debate on the three farm bills.

Days later, SAD also moved out of the ruling NDA breaking its decades-old alliance with the BJP.


Also read: Rahul backs farm protests but Amarinder ‘keen’ they end, deploys officials to broker truce


 

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7 COMMENTS

  1. When the farmers in the rest of the country do not have serious problem with the three farms reform laws, only the “buddu” Punjabi farmers seem to have problems. She cannot equate the grouse of stupid Punjabi farmers to all the farmers of India. In Karnataka, farmers are already entering into agreement with companies for selling their produce ABOVE MSP. Tell us who is the loser?

  2. MODIJI is talking to farmers and his government must continue talking.

    He should also talk to AKALI DAL n SHIVSENA AND bring them back in NDA.

    HARSIMRATJI should also understand that ultra left wing radicals and jihadist are working hand in hand to keep INDIA poor and weak with instructions from china and pakistan respectively.

  3. Smt Badal may not be aware of it, but Shri Narendra Modi heads the government. If Modi government has lost the trust of rich farmers and middlemen of Punjab and Haryana, then Shri Modi talking to them will not make sense. She also may not be aware of it but this agitation has virtually no support from farmers from rest of the country.

  4. No need to engage with agents of agri mafia. Time to move Indian agriculture to 21st century. India can not loose because of rich punjab farmers.

  5. I have no objection to Modi speaking with farmers. However, PM should engage only when there is sensible representation from farmers and not de facto politicians. He is not the person, who can be asked to engage just because opposition feel so. It must need gravity as well as counterparty sincerity for his engagement e.g. Pakistan – no need to engage, Shaheen Baug – No need to engage.
    I feel all right demands have been accepted by GOI but repealing of law without convincing (even me as a citizen) that they are against the interests of the farmers is sheer blackmail and leader of our country cannot be subject to blackmail.
    He is answerable to all but he should not be made subject of being egged by people who are actually against him and not the law.

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