In Hyderabad, Amit Shah says ‘never called farmers’ protest politically motivated’

Union minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that he has never termed the ongoing protests staged by agitating farmers in Delhi as politically motivated. Shah, who is in Hyderabad, to campaign for BJP ahead of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Elections, was speaking to mediapersons at the Telangana BJP headquarters at Nampally.

Shah told ANI, “I never called the farmers’ protest politically motivated, neither am I calling it now.”

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Farmers from Punjab have been staging protests demanding rollback of the recently passed farm bills. The protests began on November 25 when farmer groups under the Bharatiya Kisan Union started the Delhi Chalo march.

Amit Shah had also requested farmers on Saturday to halt their protests and speak to the Centre regarding the issues they are facing with the three farm bills. Shah, while speaking to ANI had said, “To farmers protesting at the Delhi-Haryana border and Punjab border, I would like to tell them that the central government is ready to discuss all their issues over a meeting called upon by the agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on December 3. We are ready to hear all their concerns and demands.”

Farmers have rejected the Centre’s offers to hold discussions and have asked the Centre to form a cabinet committee to discuss the issues with the new farm bills. The farmers groups have also highlighted that agriculture is not the domain of the Home Ministry and have demanded that a group of ministers or the prime minister’s office meet the farmers for a fresh set of discussions. Krantikari Kisan Union leader Darshan Pal told HT, “We have rejected the offer for talks with the home ministry. The home ministry has nothing to do with farmers or agriculture.”

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Leaders from the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Krantikari Kisan Union, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and 28 other organisations are protesting against the - Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill; the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill.

Farmers believe that these bills will adversely impact the agricultural sector by promoting corporate farming and will cause hindrance in procurement of grains under the minimum support price system.

The farmers are currently holding protests at Singhu in Delhi-Haryana border. They have denied to proceed to Burari, where the government has earmarked a protest site, and have said that they will only take a decision on holding discussion if Centre does not impose a pre-condition. The protest has entered its fourth day but farmers remain adamant that they shall only withdraw their agitation once Centre hold discussions with the groups.