BJP MP Varun Gandhi said there was a need to re-engage with the protesting farmers who gathered in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday, in a departure from the public positioning taken by the ruling party on the protests.
However, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya dismissed the farm protests as ‘drama’ and a ‘conspiracy’ of the BJP’s opponents.
Muzaffarnagar mega farmers rally vows to oust Adityanath regime
Mr. Gandhi, MP from Pilibhit, which has a strong connection with farming and a Punjab influence, tweeted a short video of the mahapanchayat held by farmers in Muzaffarnagar.
“Lakhs of farmers have gathered in protest today [Sunday] in Muzaffarnagar. They are our own flesh and blood. We need to start re-engaging with them in a respectful manner: understand their pain, their point of view and work with them in reaching common ground,” Mr. Gandhi said on Sunday.
Dil ki baat
Last week, he even met a delegation of farmers of Pilibhit and listened to their “dil ki baat”.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Maurya, however, took a hard line against the protests.
“This is not a kisan panchayat. Farmers are with the BJP. Political parties like SP, BSP, Congress and RLD have donned the cloaks of farmers and they are trying to project it like they are farmers,” he said.
Mr. Maurya said the protests would not succeed and that the BJP would win more than 300 seats in the 2022 Assembly election.
