Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national spokesperson Raghav Chadha on Wednesday said that the AAP will extend support to those farmers who have decided to approach the court against BJP leaders following “obscene” remarks and relentless “abuses” against farmers.
Chadha said, “The three black farm laws have the propensity to destroy the lives and livelihoods of our farmers, who have been fighting for justice, for their rights for several weeks now. Their collective sorrow and pain is for everyone to see. In order to make themselves heard, they marched towards Delhi, only to be stopped at the borders, only to be insulted, abused and maligned.”
“The powers that be treated our farmers as an enemy of the state; they hurled tear gas at our farmers, they used water cannons, farmers were even lathi-charged, trenches were built too, but our brave farmers reached Singhu, they reached Tikri, and continued with their peaceful movement,” he said.
Talking about the farmers rights and how all they ask from the Centre is to lend a sympathetic ear, to show some empathy, he said “The farmers have been requesting the Modi government to listen to them, but in turn were abused. BJP ministers, elected representatives, leaders have used only filthy and foul language to describe the farmers,"
"The BJP leaders further said the farmers are agents of China and Pakistan; they said the farmers’ movement is being funded by Canada and Pakistan, they said our farmers are terrorists, goondas, they even called our farmers ‘dalaal’. It is evident that the entire BJP is categorically and strategically working to destroy and discredit the farmer movement with their relentless abuse,” he added.
Elaborating upon how the AAP has always stood for the farmers and their movement, the senior leader said, “The AAP refused to convert nine stadiums into temporary jails. CM Arvind KejriwalJi was put under immense pressure to follow through with this, but he put his foot down, and did not convert any stadium into jails."
"The AAP takes a pledge to provide all aid, help, assistance to aggrieved farmers who want to move court against BJP leaders for their libelous, slanderous and defamatory remarks against protesting farmers,” he said.
Chadha then went on to name over 20 leaders associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party, who’ve allegedly used unparliamentary language and hurled filthy abuses at the farmers.
For instance, he said "Union Minister Piyush Goyal had said that the farmers movement was no longer that of the farmers but of the Left and Maoists. The Union Minister had also alleged that anti-national activities were happening at the protest site, with demands to release certain people from jail.
"BJP MP Giriraj Singh had alleged that foreign forces had entered the farmers’ movement and posters of Khalistan were being put up at the movement site," he said.
"Ramesh Bhiduri had alleged that the farmers’ movement was being funded by Canada and Pakistan. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari had said that the ‘tukde-tukde gang was turning the farmers’ movement into another Shaheen Bagh. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had alleged that they have reports of ‘Khalistani presence in the farmers’ protest," he said.
Explaining it further, Chadha said "Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had alleged that the ‘Tukde-Tukde gang is behind the farmers’ protest. Anil Sharma, Uttar Pradesh Environment Minister, had allegedly used the term ‘goondas’ for protesting farmers in UP."
"I would urge BJP leaders to take a long hard look at the faces of each farmer. The wrinkles on their face will tell you how hard they work, sowing their land with blood and sweat; their bent shoulders will show you how hard he ploughs their land. It is because of their hard work that food reaches your plates," he said.