Union Minister of State Raosaheb Danve on Thursday landed in the soup over his controversial statement that Pakistan and China were behind the ongoing farmers’ protests in the country, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders slamming him and demanding his ouster from the Narendra Modi Cabinet.
A day after he alleged that there appeared to be a “conspiracy” involving Pakistan and China behind the ongoing farmers’ protests, the MVA leaders upped the ante against Danve for his “irresponsible” statement and said that the minister’s statement was clear indicator to the fact that the NDA government continued to be “blatantly indifferent” towards the plight of the agitating farmers.
While the Congress demanded that Danve be “kicked out” of the Union Cabinet, the Shiv Sena said that if the BJP was sure of the involvement of Pakistan and China in the “conspiracy” behind the protests, then the NDA government should launch “surgical strikes’ against the two country. A minister in the MVA cabinet said that time had come to enter the house of Danve and beat him for his “questionable” statement.
Talking to media persons, Shiv Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that the Modi government should take Danve’s statement and lose no time in launching “surgical strikes’ against Pakistan and China.
"If a Union Minister has information that China and Pakistan have a hand behind the farmers' agitation, then, the Defence Minister should immediately conduct a surgical strike on China and Pak. The President, Prime Minister, Home Minister and Chiefs of the Armed Forces should discuss this issue seriously," Raut said.
Rooting for Danve’s ouster from the Union Cabinet, Maharashtra State Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant said: “We have come to such a pass that the current ruling dispensation dubs all the opposition leaders and those opposing it as traitors. This is a reflection of the rule of dictatorship prevalent in the country. During the past six years, the ruling party leaders see conspiracy behind each of the protests that places in the country”.
By alleging that Pakistan and China were behind the ongoing farmers’ protests, Danve has called the farmers as traitors. That goes to prove that we do not have democracy in the country. All we have is Modishahi in the county. We condemn Danve’s statement and demand his removal from the Union Cabinet, “Sawant said.
Minister of State Omprakash B. Kadu, alias Bachchu Kadu said last time he had laid siege outside Danve’s home, and warned that "now, the situation is such that we will enter his home and beat him up” for his anti-farmer utterances.
NCP’s national spokesperson Nawab Malik and State Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase also demanded Danve’s removal from the cabinet for his statement.
“The farmers’ agitation is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s call for Civil Disobedience in 1930 and now they are exercising their constitutional right to oppose the draconian anti-farmers bill,” Tapase said.
Tapse said it is absolutely shameful that the agitating farmers have lost their trust in the NDA government which remained “blatantly indifferent” to their plight.
“The NDA Government should learn from history where dictatorial regimes have been overthrown by agrarian revolutions across the world,” Malik said.
Malik and Tapase said that when NCP President Sharad Pawar was Union Agriculture Minister in the UPA I & II, he always insisted on higher MSP which in turn yielded higher food production that helped the country’s food security concerns.
“The UPAs policies increased the financial earnings of farmers, but today the agriculturists are worried about loss of earnings with the 3 new farm laws which throws them at the mercy of the corporate houses,” Malik said.
Meanwhile, Minister of State Omprakash B. Kadu, alias Bachchu Kadu caused a minor stir in the state political circles when he said that time had come to enter the house of Danve and beat him.
“Last time, I had laid siege to Danve’s home, now the time has come to enter his home and beat him up” for his anti-farmer statement.
Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana President Raju Shetti also came down heavily on Danve for his anti-farmer statement. “On one hand, the Government is not bothered about resolving the farmers’ issue, while on the other its ministers and leaders are attempting to create divisions among the agitating farmers through their irresponsible and insensitive statements”.