Noida: Farmers ask local BJP leaders for a debate on farm bills

Noida: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) members on Thursday asked the local leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party for a discussion on the Centre’s new farm laws.

Noida: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) members on Thursday asked the local leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party for a discussion on the Centre’s new farm laws. The farmers said that if BJP functionaries make them understand the benefits of the new laws, they will withdraw the protest. However, they also said that if the farmers convince them about the drawbacks of the legislations, the leaders will have to support them.

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Master Shyoraj Singh, president of BKU (Lok Shakti), said, “We demand the local BJP functionaries to come forward and hold an open debate. If they convince us of farm laws’ benefits, we will withdraw the protest. If they fail, they have to support us,” Singh said at the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal.

Scores of BKU (Lok Shakti) supporters have been protesting against the farm laws at the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal for more than three weeks.

Singh claimed that a group of BJP workers have resigned from their party and joined the BKU-Lok Shakti on Thursday as they were pained over the farm laws.

Vijay Bhati, president, Gautam Budh Nagar unit of BJP, said that the party’s national leadership is already in talks with the farmers over the issue. “These farm bills are for the benefit of farmers and the agriculture sector. The government will take suitable actions after a discussion with the farmers. There is no point in holding a discussion with farmers at local level,” he said.

On the claims of BJP workers joining BKU, Bhati said that he has not received any such information. “No dedicated worker or party member has left us or joined the protesting farmers. The situation is so volatile that the protesters can add any person to their group and claim they were BJP workers,” Bhati said.

On Thursday, the BKU-Lok Shakti members also submitted a memorandum to the Noida authority officials over various old demands, including proper rehabilitation of farmers whose land have been acquired, reservation of farmers’ children in admission to private schools, treatment in private hospitals at affordable price, and mini sports stadium in each village, among others.

Santosh Upadhyay, Noida authority’s officer on special duty (OSD), received the memorandum from the farmers. “We will see if the issues can be fixed at our level. We will facilitate a farmers’ meeting with senior officials in the Noida authority to resolve the issues,” he said.

Meanwhile, the BKU (Bhanu) members are continuing their protest at the Chilla border. Several farmers have also brought sleeping bags, indicating they are resolved to fight longer.

Yogesh Pratap Singh, UP president of BKU (Bhanu), said that 11 farmers are also on a hunger strike. “We have decided to protest till our demands are met. The government is trying to break our protest. They have hired people for a parallel protest in favour of the farm bills. But everybody knows these bills favour the corporates, and the farmers will be at a loss if they are not withdrawn,” he said.