NEW DELHI: In a damage control exercise, the BJP has tasked its leaders from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan to counter the negative perceptions regarding the farm laws apart from reaching out to all stakeholders.The party leaders were asked to meet the political challenge on the ground, and connect with the people with “point by point rebuttal of the claims made by farmers’ unions”.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar and BJP chief J P Nadda had held extensive discussions with the party leaders from the four farm agitation affected states. “The leadership told the BJP leaders that the agitation is political, and attempts are being made to create negative perception about the party and the government,” said a senior BJP functionary. “Now that the talks are not happening between the government and the farmer unions, the BJP should make serious attempt on the ground to counter claims made against the farm laws.”
The party leaders were asked to ensure that the agitation spots don’t get logistic support from the people, he added. The BJP is falling back on its influential leaders from the farm agitation affected regions after it was assessed that the official explanations weren’t received favourably by the people. Incidentally, the BJP took massive hit in the Punjab panchayat polls.
The BJP’s earlier outreach to hold kisan panchayats was also not found effective to weaken the farm agitation. BJP MP from Muzaffarnagar Sanjeev Balyan called influential farmers on Wednesday for discussion on the farm laws and the ongoing agitation. Emerging out of the meeting, Balyan said that the farmers in the western Uttar Pradesh would benefit from the farm laws since contract farming is already practiced in the region.
Booklets to counter the claims of the farm unions are being provided to the party leaders, the party functionary said. “Senior leaders, including MPs and MLAs, have to go to the people and hold discussions on the farm laws, and the task shouldn’t be left to the party workers only.”