Already under attack over lalitgate and Vyapam issues, the BJP will confront another issue when Parliament resumes on Monday as the constituents of erstwhile Janata Parivar has decided to corner the Government on farmers’ suicide issue and demand resignation of Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.
While the JD(U) will give the privilege notice in Rajya Sabha on Monday alleging “deliberate misrepresentation of fact” by the Agriculture Minister, former Prime Minister and JD(S) chief HD Devegowda will address a farmers’ gathering at Jantar Mantar to protest against the Minister’s reply in the Parliament on the farmer’s suicide last week and subsequent remarks of senior BJP leaders including Finance Minister Arun Jaitely on the issue.
JD(U) General Secretary KC Tyagi has also appealed to the left parties to come forward and express solidarity on this issue. He said that following the insult to farmers, the party will now demand resignation of four BJP leaders — the other three being External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje (both on lalit Modi controversy) and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan,” he insisted.
The constituents of Janata Pariwar are raking up the controversy at a time when JD(U) in alliance with Congress and RJD is locked in a tough electoral battle in Bihar, where Assembly polls are due in next few months.
Singh’s reply in Parliament having a reference to love affairs among others being reasons for farmers’ suicide triggered a storm on Thursday with Opposition parties accusing Government of being insensitive.
“Devegowda ji will address a meeting of various farmer organisations tomorrow, who are up in arms against the government’s reply and are seeking the resignation of the Agriculture Minister. JD(U) extends its support to the dharna and will be there. I urge the leader of the Janata Parivar (yet to be formalised) Mulayam Singh Yadav to sit in solidarity with Devegowda ji in the interest of farmers,” Tyagi said.
Jaitley had dug out written replies in Parliament during the previous UPA regime, listing out ‘love affair’ as one of the several reasons for farmers’ suicides. “Replies given in Parliament on the issue of farmers’suicide during UPA Government,” Jaitley tweeted attaching four answers given during March 2012 and February 2014 in both Houses of Parliament. Tyagi condemned Jaitley’s remarks saying “instead of talking about the real issue, he is defending the minister citing replies by previous Governments.”
Sources in the party said that the JD(U) will move the privilege notice against Singh under Rule 187 in Rajya Sabha accusing him of “not only misleading the House but also making a diversion from the real issue.”
The Union Agriculture Minister had in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Thursday listed “indebtedness, crop failure, drought, socio-economic and personal” as reasons for agrarian distress. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi too slammed the Agriculture Minister’s remark and suggested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ask his Minister to visit the houses of farmers to “see what is going on”.The Samajwadi Party, CPI-M and CPI have also condemned the Government over the reply saying it was “irresponsible”, “ridiculous” and showed “callousness” toward the issue of farmer suicide.