Corporate Jivi Modi & his party did only one andolan, and it destroyed Babri mosque: AIKS leader Hannan Mollah

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to farmers protesting against the farm laws as ‘andolan jeevi’ (those living off agitations) during his speech in Rajya Sabha on Monday has not gone down well with the farmers’ leaders.

Condemning Modi for his ‘regressive speech’, AIKS leader Hannan Mollah called Modi and his party as ‘corporate jeevi’ (those who depend on corporates for their survival).

Speaking to National Herald, Mollah said that since Modi, the BJP and its ideological parent RSS had never taken part in any constructive-progressive protest, they naturally do not understand the power of the peoples’ protests and their role in nation-building.

“Their only andolan was to destroy the unity and harmony of India. This is the difference between their andolan and our andolan. The Ram Janmabhoomi Andolan permanently destroyed the fabric of India’s composite culture and created a permanent wall of animosity between two communities,” said Mollah.

Attacking Modi for “disgraceful references” in his speech, Mollah said, “Modi and his political ancestors had not even participated in India’s freedom struggle. They boycotted the call given by Gandhiji and Sardar Patel. Will the PM also call Gandhiji and Patel as ‘andolan jeevi’ as they used andolan as a weapon to fight colonial oppressors?”

The farmers’ leader also lampooned Modi for terming the growing global support for the farmers’ protest as “foreign destructive investment”.

“He termed the support for the protest as destructive…why? Because he and his party have never done anything constructive for farmers,” Mollah said.

“He called us (Left) as destructive and anti-national because our political ideology is based on Marxism. He should tell the people which ideology BJP-RSS belongs to? It is Mussolini and Hitler’s ideology which they follow,” added Mollah.

Replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in Parliament on Monday, the Prime Minister had said it was important to identify ‘andolan jeevis’ and protect the nation from them.

Responding to Modi’s remark, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha – an umbrella body of 40 farmers’ unions – said the comments were insulting to the farmers. “It was andolans that liberated India from colonial rulers, and that is why we are proud to be ‘andolan jeevi’,” it said in an official statement.