Khattar govt didn’t handle farmer crises well, says Rao

As BJP candidates continue to be heckled during campaigns by voters over ‘mistreatment’ of farmers, senior leader and Union Minister of State Rao Inderjit Singh said the party could have handled the situation better in February 2024.

Was ignored in resolution process

The state government had many mass farmer leaders, including me. Rather than involving us in the tussle resolution, they kept calling people from the Centre who had no background with farmers and did not resonate with them. Rao Inderjit Singh, union minister

Rao, talking to The Tribune, said “there was no denying the fact that farmers were angry and it was partially because of how then ML Khattar led government dealt with the crises”. Rao said while party had many mass farmer leaders they chose to depend on central ministers for the crisis resolution which obviously failed.

“The farmers are angry and it will impact our elections. They are not just ‘ann datas’ but also our key voter base and people who send their children to forces. They were to be dealt with more sensitivity. The state government has many mass farmer leaders, including me. Rather than involving us in the tussle resolution, they kept calling people from the Central Government who had no background with farmers and did not resonate with them. The impact of that time’s failure is visible now,” said Rao.

He further added that as resentment was not addressed timely it gave the Opposition an opportunity to misguide the farmers. “Haryana farmers are amongst most content and happy ones, but the situation was handled in such a way that they too were left disgruntled. The BJP has done a lot for farmer welfare but all that has been shadowed and the Opposition is misleading them. Had they heard from their own leaders, they would have trusted better,” added Rao.

Rao enjoys immense popularity in the Ahirwal region and in February and March also highlighted How keeping local leaders away from crisis resolution might impact elections.

Meanwhile, the BJP candidates have been facing a tough time while campaigning in poll-bound Haryana. Be it seeking apologies with folded hands publicly and on camera, or giving assurances regarding the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers, BJP leaders are trying their best to reduce public anger as the state heads for the elections on October 5.

Several videos of BJP leaders facing the wrath of the electorate are going viral on social media. Former Home Minister and candidate from Ambala Anil Vij faced wrath of farmers who refused to listen to him.

On Thursday, former BJP MLA Sita Ram went to Ateli where the villagers gheraoed him. Sita Ram had gone to campaign for Union minister Rao Inderjit’s daughter Aarti Rao, who is the BJP candidate from the Ateli seat. Jhajjar’s Ladayan village, an agitated mob of women and children literraly shooed away BJP candidate Kaptan Birdhana. Nalwa BJP candidate Randhir Panihar, too, faced a protest in Devan village farmers interrupted started shouting anti-BJP slogans forcing Panihar to leave.

BJP’s Narwana nominee Krishan Bedi faced protests in Karamgarh. BJP minister Abhe Singh Yadav also faced protests in Koriawas village under Nangal Chaudhary seat. Former Sirsa BJP MP Sunita Duggal, who is now contesting from the Ratia seat, also faced a similar protest.