Khattar government in trouble? BJP-ally JJP asks Haryana minister to withdraw cases against farmers, Congress to seek trust vote in Assembly

A three-member JJP delegation led by the party's state unit chief Nishan Singh met the state home minister. Senior party leader Digvijay Singh Chautala was also part of the delegation.
Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij (Photo | PTI)
Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij (Photo | PTI)

CHANDIGARH: Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), the BJP's coalition partner in Haryana, met Home Minister Anil Vij here on Friday and sought withdrawal of cases registered in the state against farmers participating in the "Delhi Chalo" march against the Centre's farm laws.

A three-member JJP delegation led by the party's state unit chief Nishan Singh met the state home minister.

Senior party leader Digvijay Singh Chautala was also part of the delegation.

"We have requested the minister that the cases filed against the farmers during their movement to the national capital must be taken back immediately," Chautala said after the meeting.

He told reporters that the minister assured him of taking up the matter with Chief Minister M L Khattar.

JJP is party of the farmers, Chautala said.

"We all are connected with the ideology of Chaudhary Devi Lal, and it is our moral duty to stand with the farmers."

He added the party was hopeful of positive results from the talks being held between the Centre and the protesting farmers in Delhi.

Chautala had on Thursday said cases against farmers registered by the Haryana Police must be withdrawn to ensure that the situation does not worsen and no mistrust is created between the farmers and the government.

The JJP has been facing the opposition's ire for "clinging to power" and not walking out of the alliance over the farmers' issues.

Haryana Police has booked state Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni and several farmers on attempt to murder and rioting charges in Ambala.

Hundreds of farmers were booked on charges of rioting, participating in unlawful assembly, obstructing public servants from discharging their duty, damaging public property and violating various provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 in Ambala, Panipat, Rohtak, Kaithal, Sirsa and other districts of the state a week ago.

The Congress has claimed that over 20,000 farmers in Haryana have been booked by the police for various violations during the "Delhi Chalo" march.

Delhi's border points remained choked as thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab and other states held demonstrations for the ninth consecutive day, after Thursday's talks with the government failed to yield any resolution.

The farmer community has expressed apprehension that the new laws are "anti-farmer", and would pave the way for dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.

However, the government maintains that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.

The Congress, meanwhile, will now seek the convening of a special session of the assembly to bring a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led state government, its legislature party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Friday.

Hooda claimed that the M L Khattar government has lost the confidence of both the people and the House, and said a Congress delegation will meet Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya soon to demand summoning of the House.

When asked if some BJP MLAs were in touch with him, the Congress leader told reporters in Gurgaon, "I cannot disclose all things before you."

He said two Independent MLAs have already withdrawn support to the BJP-Jannayak Janta Party coalition and some JJP legislators have given statements against the government, while supporting the farmers' protests.

"In the last session of the Vidhan Sabha, we had said the government should hold a discussion on farmers' issues," Hooda, who is Leader of the Opposition in the House, said.

"Now, the Congress Legislature Party has decided to meet the Governor and urge him to convene a special session of the Vidhan Sabha to discuss farmers' problems," he said.

"We will bring a no-confidence motion because the present government has not only lost the confidence of the people, but of the House."

Independent MLAs Balraj Kundu and Sombir Sangwan had earlier withdrawn support to the BJP-JJP government, which completed a year in office over a month ago.

But Hooda claimed that some MLAs are playing a "double role", making statements against the government but are continuing to support the government.

"This will make it clear who stands with the farmers," he said, referring to the planned no-trust motion.

He said while farmers are on the streets, the JJP and some Independent MLAs continue to enjoy the fruits of power.

Hooda said when the assembly convenes, the Congress will also seek an amendment to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP) with punishment for those purchasing crops below it.

At present, the Khattar government enjoys a comfortable majority in the 90-member State Assembly.

The BJP has 40 MLAs and its ally JJP 10.

There are 31 Congress MLAs and one each from the Indian National Lok Dal and Haryana Lokhit Party.

Seven members are Independents, out of whom five, including Power Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala, support the ruling combine.

Hooda said Khattar has "insulted" farmers by saying that those from Haryana are not part of the protest at Delhi's borders.

"Not only this, one of his ministers rubbed salt on the wounds of farmers by saying the current agitation is foreign-funded. He should immediately apologise for his remarks," he demanded.

The 73-year-old former chief minister said he has not seen a bigger farmers' agitation in his entire life.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab but many from Haryana, are now protesting at Delhi's borders, demanding the repeal of three agri-marketing laws enacted at the Centre in September.

Farmer unions say the new laws will lead to the dismantling of the MSP system, which the government denies.

"The Central government should immediately accept their demands, otherwise more problems may arise," Hooda said.

At a separate press conference in Chandigarh, Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja said if the Centre does not repeal the farm laws, her party will do so when it comes to power.

She said those in JJP and BJP who are with the farmers' should stop supporting the government.

She said the Congress will fight the December 27 municipal bodies' elections in the state on its party symbol.

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