Opposition parties Thursday attacked the government over its handling of the farmer protests against the three contentious farm laws, saying BJP ministers believe in monologue and trenches have been dug, barbed wires put up and spikes installed when bridges should have been built to win over farmers.
Sanjay Singh, who was among three AAP leaders marshaled out of Raiya Sabha on Wednesday over unruly behaviour, today hit out at the central government saying farmers are being lathi charged, called traitors, terrorists and Khalistanis.
“Talks happened 11 times, all failed. Government claims to be a call away, but doesn’t bother,” he said in the Rajya Sabha. Stating that about 165 farmers have lost their lives in the past 76 days, Singh appealed to the Modi government to “have mercy and repeal the three black laws”.
Former prime minister and JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda called farmers the backbone of the country and said miscreants and anti-social elements were behind the events of Republic Day and all political parties have condemned their actions and agree that they need to be punished.
Stating that the farmers are not responsible for the violence, he said they should not be punished. He added that the Centre’s decision to put concrete walls at the protest sites won’t help and called upon the government to end the matter peacefully.
Gowda said the issue of farm laws is a state subject, and that the state government’s opinion also has to be taken.
Opening the second day of discussion on a motion thanking the President for his address to the joint sitting of Parliament at the start of the Budget Session, Manoj Kumar Jha of the RJD said the government has lost the patience to hear and any criticism is painted as anti-national.
“With folded hands, I request you to please understand the pain of farmers. In harsh winter you stopped water supply and toilet facilities, dug trenches, put barbed wires, and installed spikes,” he said. “Such aggressive approach wasn’t even heard of towards the neighbouring nations who came inside (the Indian territory).”
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