This is what ministers of ruling govt said about farmers protest before PM decided to repeal farm laws

Jamaat of Andolanjeevis

On 8 February 2021, speaking in the Rajya Sabha PM Modi appealed to the farmers to end their protest and discuss their demands with the government. He assured MSP was always there, and would always be there. He said, that promises made on the floor of Parliament should be taken as solemn (at face value).The country needed to be protected against ‘andolanjeevi’ or those who survive on protests.

“We are all familiar with buddhijivis (intellectuals) and shramjivis but now, a new category of andolanjeevis has come to the fore who feed off protests. They jump into all sorts of protests, whether it is by lawyers or students or workers. Sometimes they can be spotted while on other occasions, they stay in the background. They are like parasites who feed off protests,” Modi said.

Crowds do not repeal laws

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, assigned the responsibility to hold talks with farmers, held several rounds of talks and repeated that the three farm laws would not be repealed but the government was ready to discuss other options.

On February 21, Tomar said at Gwalior, “The Government has been very sensitive and held 12 rounds of talks with farmers. But talks can lead to solution only if you can explain your objection to the laws. Laws cannot be repealed by demanding them to be repealed and by gathering crowds. It does not work that way.”

Hijacked by Maoists

On 12 December 2020 Union Minister Piyush Goyal said in a video statement, “If the Kisan Andolan gets free from Maoist and Naxal forces then our farmer brothers and sisters will definitely understand that the farm laws are for their benefit.”He also added, “Solutions cannot be reached if you get stuck at just one thing (repeal of the laws) and then leave the discussion. When they do that then it seems the protests have been taken over by Maoists and Naxals.”

Do not look like farmers

December 1, 2020, Union minister V.K. Singh claimed that there are many outsiders in the farmers protest since the thousands of protestors “did not appear to be farmers in pictures”. People who have nothing to do with the protests have infiltrated. When I see the photos of the protests, I cannot see farmers. They do not appear to be farmers,” he said.

Pakistan, China behind protest

December 10, 2020, Minister of State Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Raosaheb Danve claimed that Pakistan and China were behind the protests. The agitation that is going on is not that of farmers. China and Pakistan have a hand behind this. Muslims in this country were incited first. What was said (to them)? That NRC is coming, CAA is coming and Muslims will have to leave this country in six months. Did a single Muslim leave? Those efforts didn’t succeed and now farmers are being told that they will face losses. This is the conspiracy of other countries”

Mawalis, not farmers

On July 22, 2021 Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi denounced farmers as ‘mawali’ (ruffian). “You should stop calling them farmers because they are not farmers.” She continued, “They are playing into the hands of some conspirators. Farmers don’t have time to sit in Jantar Mantar. They are working in their farms. Middlemen are behind them (protestors) who do not want farmers to get benefits.”

Pick up sticks; Tit-for-tat

Haryana Chief Minister on October 3, during a meeting of BJP’s Kisan Morcha in Chandigarh, said, “In every district of NorthWest Haryana form your own groups of 500-700 volunteers, pick up sticks at every place, ‘Sathe sathyam samachret’ (tit for tat). Do not worry (about jail) we will manage that. Moreover, if you pick up sticks then don’t worry about 3 or 6 months there (in jail). You will get to learn so much there, more than what you will learn in these meetings and become big leaders.

Hijacked by anti-nationals

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari told a TV channel, “I’m not speaking of all farmers and farmer organisations, but I want to ask you something. In our Gadchiroli district, near Nagpur, in Vidarbha, a person who supports the Naxalite movement was investigated. The court also did not grant him bail. How did his photo appear in this movement? What is his link to farming and farmers?”

(This article was first published in National Herald on Sunday)