Amid the spiralling protest by farmers across the country over Mandsaur’s firing incident, the Congress party is also set to step up offensive against the BJP-led Central and Haryana Governments through a Statewide campaign and dharnas, starting June 16 onwards.
Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday announced to launch an agitation in Haryana to press for demands including implementation of Swaminanthan report, loan waiver for farmers, construction of Sutlej Yamuna link (SYl) canal among others.
Hooda, who is under CBI scanner for alleged irregularities in land deals, on Tuesday held a meeting with party senior leaders at his New Delhi residence to chalk out a strategy to target the BJP Government on farmers’ issues.
During the meeting which was attended by Hooda’s loyalists, the two-time former Chief Minister also launched a scathing attack on the BJP terming the party as “anti-farmer”.
“After coming to the power, the ruling BJP Governments at the Centre and Haryana, forgot about farmers and betrayed the farming community. While huge promises were made by the BJP to the farmers during 2014 election, the party retracted on its poll promises,” said Hooda.
Continuing his tirade against the ruling BJP, he said while the ruling had failed to provide succour to farming community, it was now killing the innocent farmers. Death of six farmers in a police firing was an unfortunate incident, said the senior Congress leader, while referring to Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur firing incident.
To step up pressure at the BJP Government, Hooda said Statewide agitation would be launched in Haryana. In the first phase, dharnas would be held in support of farming community at Kurukshetra on June 16, Sirsa on June 21, Rewari on June 25, Sonipat on July 1, Jind on July 5, Nuh on July 7.
If the BJP failed to keep its poll promise of implementing Swaminanthan report, the agitation would be intensified. From street protests in Haryana to protest at Parliament, the party would take on the BJP on farmers’ issues, said Hooda.
A day before, farmers under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union, Haryana unit had announced to block national highways in the State on June 16 to protest against the BJP Government.
The farming community under various farmers’ outfits is already holding protest demonstrations and dharnas at Ambala, Hisar, Jind, Panchkula, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Sirsa, Rohtak and Yamunanagar to press for their demands including implementation of Swaminanthan report and loan waiver besides dismissal of BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh following the death of six farmers in a police firing.
Hooda added that the farming community in Haryana was also suffering due to the callous attitude of Manohar lal Khattar Government in the State.
Among the demands put forth by the Congress after the meeting included loan waiver for farmers in Haryana, guarantee of a profit of atleast 50 per cent to farmers, insurance policy for treatment of farmers and labourers, option for farmers to opt out from Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna, increase in minimum support price for various crops, construction of SYl canal and others.
Meanwhile, Hooda’s Tuesday meeting also turned a virtual show of strength as his loyalists, who include 12 out of total 17 party MlAs, senior party leaders namely Phool Chand Mullana, Shadi lal Batra, his son and party’s lone MP Deependra Singh Hooda among others attended it.
Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar, who was kept out of the loop and leader of legislature Party Kiran Choudhry stayed away from the meeting.
A day before, Ashok Tanwar had claimed of having no information about Hooda’s meeting and had also announced to launch a week long party’s campaign against the BJP Government in Haryana.
Notably, Hooda and Tanwar have been at loggerheads for a long time and the bickering had escalated after the party workers clash in New Delhi last year where Tanwar had sustained injuries and accused Hooda of planning an attack on him.
last month, not a single MlA and party’s lone MP had attended the meeting convened by Tanwar for holding discussions on organizational elections. While the party had invited all its office-bearers, legislators and MP at its office on May 30, all legislators and lone MP Deependra Singh Hooda had stayed away from Tanwar’s meeting.