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Farmers’ protest: Remarks by global celebrities proof of propaganda, says BJP
BJP has been carrying out an outreach on the ground and on social media to counter accusations by the Opposition and a section of farm leaders that the three farm laws passed in September benefit big corporations
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called comments by international celebrities on the farmers’ agitation as evidence of global propaganda against the Narendra Modi government and an attempt to spread misinformation about the farm laws.
The BJP has been carrying out an outreach on the ground and on social media to counter the accusations by the Opposition and a section of farm leaders that the three farm laws passed in September benefit big corporations. It is making a concerted attempt to project the criticism of the laws as a “conspiracy”.
“There is a trend that was noticed when the Citizenship (Amendment) Act [CAA] was passed. Though the act does not anywhere imply that the citizenship of any community in India will be impacted, yet attempts were made to project CAA as anti-minorities. A similar conspiracy is now being seen in the attempt to create falsehoods about the farm laws,” said a BJP functionary.
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On Wednesday, BJP leaders and ministers responded to the comments on social media made by singer Rihanna and environmental activist Greta Thunberg over the farmers’ agitation.
Union home minister Amit Shah tweeted, “No propaganda can deter India’s unity! No propaganda can stop India to attain new heights! Propaganda cannot decide India’s fate only ‘progress’ can. India stands united and together to achieve progress.”
On whether the accusation of international propaganda is an attempt to control the narrative, a second leader said, the BJP was hauled up for suggesting that the agitation has been infiltrated by “anti-national forces.”
“Eventually what happened [violence] on January 26 [during the farmers’ tractor rally] was evidence that those who have the nefarious intentions are using the farmers. On more than one occasion, the farmer representatives were ready to call off the stir after the government agreed to make several amendments including putting the farm laws in abeyance for 18 months,” the second leader said.
The Opposition has slammed the government for not accepting the farmers’ demand for repealing the laws. On Wednesday former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said India’s image has taken a beating because of the BJP. He said the BJP’s policies have shattered India’s soft power.
BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav said it is wrong to accuse the government of not following the due process. He said the government is abiding by the court order and respects its viewpoint to put the laws in abeyance. “The government is ready for talks whether inside Parliament or outside,” he said.
A few BJP leaders said that comments labelling the farmers’ secessionists vitiated the atmosphere for talks. “This is a very sensitive constituency [farmers]. Labelling farmers as Khalistanis or anti-national created a lot of bad blood. During our interactions with people in rural areas especially, it became clear that perhaps such statements were best avoided,” said a third functionary from Uttar Pradesh.
The ongoing agitation has set off concern that the party’s electoral prospects in Uttar Pradesh could be impacted if the Jat vote bank in western parts of the state continues to support the agitation.
Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Ajay Gudavarthi called the tendency to dub any opposing view as a conspiracy unfortunate. “You may disagree with a position that people have taken on a particular issue but why smell a conspiracy? It demonstrates a lack of confidence and a lack of sense of history.”
