Farmers’ pleas falling on deaf ears: Harsimrat Badal

Rohit Bhan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21

Taking a subtle swipe at the BJP leadership, senior Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur on Monday said it was time leaders stopped claiming farmers were being “mislead” and “give them credit for knowing a lot more” on the contentious farm Bills passed by both Houses of Parliament.

In an interview to the Tribune, the senior Akali dal leader, who quit last week after the farm Bills were passed in the Lok Sabha, said it was unfortunate that pleas of the farmers were falling on deaf ears. “You keep on telling them ‘laddu khao, laddu khao, aap ke liye accha hai’, when they are saying ‘yeh zeher hai hamare liye’ [You keep telling them we serving you a laddu, when they believe it is poison for them],” she remarked.

Responding to the “resignation drama” jibe of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, the former Food Processing Minister dared the Chief Minister to follow suit. “He was part and parcel of the discussions. If he had let the steam out then and objected, it would not have reached this stage. He has brought in the same changes in the Act here, but now accuses us of playing politics. After all, he was also consulted. Why doesn’t he do the same ‘drama’?’’ she fumed.

She claimed that she learnt about the Bills only when a file from the Union Agriculture Ministry was brought up before her for inter-ministerial comments on May 24. “The files pass through various ministries, and when it was put up before me, I immediately put my dissent on record. I knew it would not be advisable for Punjab. For the past two-three months, I went back and forth between my government and the farmers. I informed the Cabinet about farmers’ reservation. Unfortunately, it wasn’t considered,” she said.

However, instead of pointedly blaming the Prime Minister for the contentious Bills, she blamed the ‘babus’ (bureaucracy) for drafting it. “Sitting in their rooms they drafted it. Unfortunately, they were the ones who advised the government without taking into account the concerns of the farmers,” she alleged.

On the assurance of the Prime minister that MSP would be protected, Harsimrat Kaur commented: “Farmers are not buying verbal assurances. They believe this law will mean doom for them.”

On being asked if the Shiromani Akali dal was contemplating leaving the NDA, she said the party had started gathering feedback from cadre on the ground. “Once the feedback is analysed we will take a call on the way forward.’’

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