Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday unveiled a 64-feet tall statue of venerated Jat farmer leader Deenbandhu Sir Chhotu Ram in Sampla at Rohtak and lauded his contribution for empowering poor and farmers in pre-Independence era.
With an eye on Lok Sabha polls 2019 and Assembly polls due later next year in Haryana, the Prime Minister also used the occasion to highlight the pro-farmer initiatives of his Central Government and BJP led Haryana Government.
While addressing ‘Deenbandhu Samriti Rally’ in Sampla after unveiling the statue, the Prime Minister began his speech in Haryanvi dialect lauding the progressive thinking and political acumen of Chhotu Ram, who is a revered figure in Haryana’s Jat community and also known as a champion of farmers’ right during the British colonial era.
“Today, we have unveiled the tallest statue of Sir Chhotu Ram in Haryana and on October 31, we will be unveiling the world’s tallest statue-that of Iron man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat,” he said.
Equating the two leaders, Modi said that both Chhotu Ram and Vallabhbhai Patel were farmers and worked for the welfare of poor and farmers.
“Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had once said during India’s partition that if Chaudhary Chhotu Ram was alive, I would not have worried about Punjab. Chaudhary Chhotu Ram would have managed everything,” the Prime Minister said while making a connection between the two leaders.
In the past four years of my government, we have not only honoured several great leaders and personalities but have been working on their vision and ideals, he said.
“Just like Chhotu Ram made efforts for empowering poor and farmers, our government is also working in this regard,” said the Prime Minister while highlighting his government’s flagship initiatives for farmers.
Persistent steps are being taken for ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers, providing hybrid seeds and adequate water for irrigation, he added.
About Haryana, Modi said 50 lakh Soil Health Cards (SHC) has been issued to the farmers to ensure that farmers get the benefit of seasonal crops. Apart from this, claim amount of Rs 350 crore has been distributed among the farmers on account of crop damage due to natural calamities. Water has reached to even those tail ends in the state which were deprived of water for last about 30 years, he said.
Referring to the memorandum between six states for the construction of Lakhwar Dam, he said that this would benefit Haryana immensely.
On the pattern of Mandi Act got enacted by Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram nine-ten decades back for ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers, the present Government has launched a new scheme namely “Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan” (PM-AASHA).
MSP of 21 crops including wheat and sugarcane has been increased, Modi added.
He also claimed that the government has worked to provide easy credit and banking services to farmers.
The Prime Minister further said that it was due to the vision of Sir Chhotu Ram, who initiated the Bhakra Dam hydroelectric project in the 1940s that farmers of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan benefitted for many years.
Further citing Sir Chhotu Ram’s contributions, Modi said, “Time and again, our country has produced great personalities who have contributed immensely towards building India. Sir Chhotu Ram is one such personality.”
“There is no village in Haryana, which did not have the representation in our armed forces and the credit for this achievement goes to Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram as he motivated the farmers to join the Army during the British rule,” he added.
The Prime Minister also appreciated the State Government for achieving the status of open defecation free especially to the Maharashi Dayanand University which has achieved first rank in the Swachhta Survey.
The state has made a remarkable progress under the ambitious Beti Bachao Beti Padhao program and the daughters of Haryana continue to make the country and the state proud at international platforms, Modi added.
During his address which lasted for around 20 minutes, the Prime Minister also called upon the people to work unitedly for building a new nation as this would be a real tribute to Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram.
He concluded his speech by extending congratulations in advance to the people of the state on the occasion of Haryana Day on November 1.
Earlier after unveiling the statue of Chhotu Ram, Modi paid floral tribute to the peasant leader and visited a museum built in his memory.
Renowned sculptor and Padma Bhushan-recipient Ram Vanji Sutar had sculpted the 64-foot-tall statue. As many as 5,500 farmers of the state had donated around half kg to 2 kg iron metal for the construction of this statue.
Sir Chhotu Ram, who was born on November 24, 1881, was regarded as a messiah of peasants and was instrumental in empowering farmers in pre-Independence era and getting pro-farmers law enacted.
The unveiling of the statue assumes significance as elections to Lok Sabha and Haryana Assembly are slated next year. With Tuesday’s event, the ruling BJP is hoping to appease the influential Jat community, which have recently stepped up its ante against the BJP Government over the key demand of reservation.
The Jats, which constitute nearly 29 percent of Haryana’s population, had provided the BJP the necessary traction to register its maiden victory in October 2014 assembly polls as well winning 7 out of 10 Lok Sabha seats earlier that year.