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‘We are not in the game of greed for power’: Kumari Selja

By, Chandigarh
Jan 16, 2021 07:43 AM IST

Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja said that she hoped that Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) MLAs and Independents would vote against the Khattar government in Haryana assembly.

Haryana Congress president, Kumari Selja said on Friday that she sincerely hopes that Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) MLAs and Independents supporting the Manohar Lal Khattar regime in Haryana would vote against the government in the state assembly. In an interview, the former Union minister said that many of these MLAs have openly opposed the three farm laws and people hope they will support the no confidence motion in the assembly. Excerpts

Kumari Selja said JJP and the BJP will have to pay a heavy political price in Haryana for supporting the farm laws(HT FILE)
Kumari Selja said JJP and the BJP will have to pay a heavy political price in Haryana for supporting the farm laws(HT FILE)

Q: What’s your reading of the farmers versus government standoff over the farm laws?

Ans: The government has led the farmers up the garden path. While the patience of the farmers is laudable and they have maintained peace, the Central government has refused to understand their pain and pay heed to their demands. The government has decided to go ahead with the three farm laws and this will only lead to cartelization. These laws only favour big business houses and not the farming community.

Q: Assuming you were to take a decision to resolve the standoff and pacify protesting farmers, what would’ve been your action plan?

A: My action plan would have been to repeal the three laws. The Congress would have never enacted such anti-farmer legislation. We listen to the people first and give them what they want. The decisions taken by the BJP-led NDA government always work to the advantage of the big business houses. In fact, their actions are autocratic rather than democratic.

Q: A number of JJP MLAs and Independents supporting the state government have spoken against the three farm laws. Do you think they would vote against the state government in case there’s a trust vote in the assembly?

Ans: We would urge upon them to listen to their conscience and the woes of the farmers. I hope they would vote against the government in the assembly.

Q: Does the Congress see any hope of forming the government with the support of disgruntled MLAs?

Ans: We are not in the game of greed for power. But there can never be a vacuum in the political space. However, whatever happens has to happen in tune with the Constitution. Whenever a situation arises, the Congress will act as per the Constitution.

Q: Who is the bigger loser in the entire episode – the BJP or the JJP?

Ans: Unfortunately, kisan and mazdoor have been the biggest losers during the BJP-JJP rule. This is an opportunistic alliance formed merely to grab power. The JJP contested assembly elections against the BJP but in their hunger for power, the two came together. People will hold them accountable. They are already facing opposition from the public across the state. People will extract political price from them during the elections. Any government that does not have its ears to the ground and is insensitive to the people’s concerns will face consequences.

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