New Delhi: The Congress slammed the BJP over Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut’s remarks on the farmers agitation, with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi saying the “shameful anti-farmer” comments are a “grave insult” to the farmers of western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab as well as the entire country.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also lashed out at the BJP over the actor-politician’s remarks and said this “shameful and highly reprehensible anti-farmer ideology is the DNA of the Modi government”.
The Congress said if the ruling party disagrees with Ranaut’s comments then it should expel her from the party.
The opposition party’s reaction came after the Mandi MP had posted a clip of her interview with Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar in which she suggested that a “Bangladesh-like situation” could have erupted in India but for the country’s strong leadership. She then alleged that bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place during the farmers’ protest against the now-repealed three farm laws.
She alleged the involvement of China and the US in the “conspiracy”.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, “The propaganda machinery of the Modi government, which has failed to fulfill the promises made to the farmers, is constantly engaged in insulting the farmers.” The BJP MP calling the farmers, who sacrificed 700 of their own people during the 378-day marathon struggle, rapists and representatives of foreign forces is another proof of the party’s anti-farmer policy and intentions, the former Congress chief said.
“These shameful anti-farmer comments are a grave insult to the farmers of western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab as well as the entire country, which cannot be accepted under any circumstances,” Gandhi said.
The government committee formed at the time when the farmers’ movement was being withdrawn is still in cold storage, the government has not been able to clarify its stand on MSP till date, the families of the martyred farmers have not been given any relief and on top of that their character assassination is going on continuously, he said.
“The Modi government’s betrayal of the farmers cannot be hidden by disrespecting the food providers and attacking their dignity,” Gandhi said.
“No matter how much conspiracy Narendra Modi and BJP indulge in. INDIA will ensure that the farmers get a legal guarantee of MSP,” he added.
Congress president Kharge also hit out at the BJP over the issue.
“Prime Minister Modi himself had insulted the farmers by calling them ‘andolanjeevi” and ‘parjeevi (parasites’ in Parliament, he even refused to observe two minutes of silence for the martyred farmers in Parliament,” he alleged.
“Modi ji had also made a false promise of forming a committee on MSP and doubling the income of farmers. When Modi ji can do all this himself, then what else does the country expect from his supporters except insulting the martyred farmers!” Kharge said.
“This shameful and highly reprehensible anti-farmer ideology is the DNA of the Modi government,” he said.
Congress’ social media head and spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the government should also clarify on the actor-politician’s claim that the US and China were conspiring to create instability within the country.
Shrinate said at a press conference here, “No leader till date has used the words Kangana Ranaut has used against the farmers. When Kangana’s statement created outrage, the BJP was asked about its official stand.”
“Haryana elections are near and it is known that the BJP is going to lose. In such a situation, a statement came from the BJP in which disagreement was expressed with Kangana’s comments,” she said.
The Congress spokesperson said if this is not the BJP’s opinion then Kangana should be expelled from the party.
“The one who has said this about the farmers does not have the right to sit in Parliament. Tell Kangana to apologise to the farmers or the BJP should apologise,” Shrinate said.
“Your (BJP) MP is saying that two foreign powers, America and China, were conspiring to create instability and unrest in India. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Home Ministry should tell whether this is true? If this is not true then the government should state that it is not so,” the Congress leader said.
Shrinate said the government should give an explanation. If foreign powers are creating unrest in the country then the Narendra Modi government is weak, she said.
Earlier, the BJP in a statement said, “The statement made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of the farmers’ movement is not the opinion of the party. The Bharatiya Janata Party expresses its disagreement with the statement made by Kangana Ranaut.” On behalf of the BJP, Ranaut is neither permitted nor authorised to make statements on the party’s policy issues, it said.
“On behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Kangana Ranaut has been directed not to make any such statements in future… The Bharatiya Janata Party is committed to follow the principles of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ and social harmony,” it added.
