JAIPUR: Hanuman Beniwal, the RLP MP from Nagaur, has warned that “BJP will shrink back to two seats in Parliament” in view of its uncivil and non-cooperative attitude to citizens’ problems. Till 26th December Beniwal had been an ally of the BJP but like the Akali Dal, his RLP quit in support of the farmers agitation.
Retaliating to controversial comments by BJP MP Jaskaur Meena and MLA Madan Dilawar’s who had termed farmers’ agitation as nothing but a “picnic spot where chicken biryani, cashews and almonds are being consumed daily, leading to spread of Bird Flu”, Beniwal, who broke away from NDA in protest against the Central Farm Laws, retorted this insensitivity on the part of BJP would cost it heavily in next elections.
Beniwal emphasised that “the farmers’ agitation was a multi-state uprising which should not be taken lightly” and that “such provocative and insensible statements could prove to be disastrous for BJP" as the six states around Delhi had a combined representation of 120 MPs in Parliament.”
He said the RLP stood with the farmers as they were fighting for their rights and undertaking a peaceful protest of a scale and dimension never seen before in independent India. Beniwal said leaders like Jaskaur Meena and Madan Dilawar were not aware of the ground realities and invited them to the Rajasthan border to see whether the farmers were eating chicken biryani or cooking food for themselves.
Affirming all agitators were genuine farmers, Beniwal opined such heartless BJP leaders needed psychiatric treatment especially when the movement was going on spontaneously at various state borders at Tikari, Singhu and Ghazipur. He felt “BJP leaders were talking such nonsense only to get attention in the media even though more than 50 farmers have been martyred in the cause". Hanuman Beniwal said relay fast of RLP workers will continue till the withdrawal of the bill.
The activism on the Shahjahanpur border of NH-48 has increased further after another dialogue of the farmers representatives with the central government failed to bear any resolution. Meanwhile, on Saturday, social activist Medha Patkar reached a halt in Maharashtra with the widows of 14 farmers who had committed suicide and had been on a hunger strike in protest against the Kisan Bill. In a statement at the site, National President of Kisan Mahapanchayat, Rampal Jat, called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a dictator in power. Medha Patkar too described the Modi government as indulging in breaking the country with its devious policies and agendas.