Shatrughan Sinha, Yashwant Sinha, Praveen Togadia hit out at BJP in Mandsaur

BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Friday took a jibe at BJP national president Amit Shah’s recent visit to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence in an attempt to placate the political ally.

“People are now going from door to door to seek support. Come around to my house too,” Sinha quipped during a farmers’ meeting at Daloda in Mandsaur district on Friday evening, much to his audience’s amusement.

The actor-turned-politician was attending the meet to pay homage to six farmers who died in police action during an agitation in Mandsaur last year. Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha and Vishwa Hindu Parishad international president Praveen Togadia were also present at the event.

Sinha, who has been at odds with the party’s central leadership, then said that a government cannot be run on “jumlebaji (hyperbole)” — a term used by opposition parties to target the Modi government.

Togadia slammed the state government for shooting farmers. “Those who feed us and keep us alive are being killed and beaten to death,” he said.

“The government is unable to shoot at people who are attacking the army in Kashmir but they are shooting farmers, Cases against stone pelters are being withdrawn in Kashmir, while farmers are being shot dead in the country,” he added.

He said that while 100% crops were insured in the United States of America, only 24% crops were insured in India. He claimed that only eight per cent farmers had been paid crop insurance claims so far. A government that cannot not check inflation had no right to be in power, Togadia told the gathering.

Yashwant Sinha claimed that a group of 10-20 people accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi wherever he goes and chants “Modi, Modi”.

“Modi is not an issue. Farmers, youth, Dalits who are facing atrocities, the future of people, the future of the country and the future of democracy are the issues,” he said.

(With agency inputs)