BJP’s plan to counter farmers’ protest - 'kisan sammelans' and 100 meetings to create awareness about farm laws

NEW DELHI: With the farmers unwilling to end their ongoing protests, the ruling BJP has drawn elaborate plans to counter them by creating public awareness about the Centre’s farm laws.

According to the plan, the BJP has planned to hold over nearly 100 meetings across the country during which the party will campaign in favour of the three farm laws brought in by the central government.

The saffron party leadership has decided to go all out and counter the farm protests by reaching out to people across the country since talks between the protesting farmers' unions and the central government remain deadlocked.

The party has drawn out an elaborate campaign plan to spread awareness about the farm laws. Under the plan, BJP leaders will address close to 700 press briefings in 718 districts across the country. Apart from this, the party will also hold kisan sammelans/chaupals at 100 locations in different states.

The party will most likely announce the dates of these press briefings and meetings today. This comes days after farmer union leaders rejected the government's proposal in which it sought to assure them that it is willing to hold further talks and address farmers' concerns.

The farmers' union rejected the proposal saying it was silent on their main demand that the new farm laws should be repealed altogether. They have also threatened to intensify their protest and called a major Bharat Bandh on December 14. 

As per their plans, farmers have decided to block the Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra highway and toll plazas to pressurise the government. The farmers` union chief also announced that they will "stage a sit-in protest in front of District Collector offices, houses of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders." However, they said that they will not stop trains. The farmer leader also claimed that the number of farmers coming here is increasing.  

With thousands of farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws staying put at Delhi borders, several routes in the national capital remained off bounds for commuters on Friday. The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) [BKU(B)] has approached the Supreme Court against the three farm laws passed by the Central government, claiming the laws will make farmers "vulnerable to corporate greed".

The farmers` group has challenged the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, Farmer`s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Hundreds of farmers are protesting on different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday said that the Central government has sent their proposal to the farmers union, adding that they have discussed it but have not responded to the same. 

Farmers worry these laws will eliminate the safety net of MSP and do away with mandis that ensure earning. But the government says the MSP system will continue and the new laws will give farmers more options to sell their crop.