BJP-JJP Face Wrath, Khaps To Reshape Haryana Politics
Facing stiff opposition to the farm Bills from protesting farmers Haryana’s BJP and JJP leaders have truncated their public appearances now. As thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana are camping at the borders of Delhi, demanding the repeal of the Centre’s three farm laws, those who are not at the protest sites are making sure that BJP-JJP party men back home feel the heat.
There seems to be no let-up in the protest against the BJP-JJP alliance with Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala facing farmer’s ire in his home turf Sirsa. Though the police stopped the farmers by placing barricades, the latter stood near the wall of the police line to show black flags to the deputy CM, who left for Samalkha on a helicopter after some time. CM Manohar Lal Khattar’s venue was also vandalized and his cavalcade was forced back with black flags shown in Ambala recently.
At several places, BJP legislators have even been attacked. For two months, their meetings are being disrupted and they are not allowed to hold any programme to interact with the public. Many partymen have removed the party flag from their vehicles, and check farmers’ protest plans before leaving homes.
What you see on the roads, and which they allege to be the opposition’s handiwork, is the spontaneous anger triggered among farmers by BJP-JJP’s arrogant anti-farmer attitude. Every word uttered by Khap Leaders will be followed by us unswervingly.
-Balwan Singh Daulatpuria (Ex-MLA recently quit BJP to join Kisan Protests)
Everyone has a right to protest but it should be in a democratic way. Those who have some vested interests are creating a false narrative among the farmers. There have been many rounds of talks with the farmers where ministers were present, the matter will be resolved by mutual dialogue only.
-Bharat Bhushan Midha (Senior BJP Leader)
Khaps Reunite To Reshape Haryana’s Politics
Khaps have always played a vital role in Haryana’s socio-political sphere. Khaps hold a special power at the local level in the state. People follow them religiously and listen to Khap leaders more than legislators. The farmers’ agitation has reshaped the Khaps into a ‘well-organized political structure’. The panchayat polls in the state are due shortly as the tenure of all the rural administrative bodies has ended. Ahead of the panchayat polls in the state, the BJP-JJP alliance now risks facing the wrath of farmers.
Khaps across Haryana have unanimously decided to boycott BJP-JJP leaders in the panchayat elections. On the other hand, Kisan unions have also appealed to the local farming community not to vote for those who are against their ongoing agitation. Addressing a massive turnout at a Kisan Mahapanchayat at Indri town in Haryana’s Karnal district, senior BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni had said, “We request you (farmers) not to vote for those who don’t support you in this dharmayuddha, if they stand in any election — be it for a panchayat or the Parliament.”
