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How BJP, Congress are busy giving political colour to nationwide farmers’ protest

As the nationwide farmers' protest entered its sixth day on Wednesday, both the BJP and the Congress attacked each other over the agrarian crisis in the country.

By Oneindia Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, June 6: As the nationwide farmers' protest entered its sixth day on Wednesday, both the main political parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress attacked each other over the agrarian crisis in the country.

In the later part of Wednesday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address the Kisan Samriddhi Sankalp rally in Mandsaur to mark the first anniversary of the "brutal crackdown" on farmers by the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, tweeted the Congress.

farmers

The BJP, on its part, has accused the Congress of instigating the farmers to protest for its "political gain". On Twitter, the hashtag--#RahulGoBack--was trending as supporters of the BJP alleged that the Congress has manufactured the farmers' "riots".

Several BJP leaders have slammed the protesting farmers for throwing their agricultural produce and milk on roads as a mark of protest. The BJP said that no genuine farmers would throw eatables and milk on roads as several poor people in the country don't get to eat food and drink milk.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the BJP-led Central and state governments have turned a blind eye towards the issues of farmers that is why they are protesting. The former Rajasthan chief minister said the farmers are agitating and "Gaon Band" movement against the government's apathy towards them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has forgotten the promises made to farmers during the elections which have disappointed the farmers and they came on roads to protest against it, Gehlot said in a statement.

He said the BJP governments (both at the Centre and in states) have insulted the farmers by saying that their movement is motivated by the Congress. The reality is that the government has ignored farmers' issues and problems, he said. Gehlot said that prices of vegetables have increased as the agitation has badly affected supply of vegetables leading to anarchy.

The farmers' agitation in seven states--Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh--has been spearheaded by the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh (RKM)--a conglomeration of 130 farmers' organisations across the country.

The farmers have launched the agitation to press their demands, including loan waiver and right price for crops. They dumped vegetables, milk and other farm produce on roads and blocked supplies to cities in several states in the last few days.

Last year, a farmers' protest in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh turned violent which led to the killing of seven farmers by the police. The farmers were protesting to demand better prices for their crops and loan waiver. The 10-day-long ongoing farmers' agitation has been hosted to mark the first anniversary of killing of farmers in Mandsaur on June 6 last year.

Since the last year, the Modi government is facing the ire of farmers because of what they called the "anti-farmer policies" of the current regime at the Centre. A few months ago, around 4,000 farmers walked 180 kms from Nashik to Mumbai to meet CM Devendra Fadnavis. They presented a list of demands to the CM. The CM has agreed to meet their demands.

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