Haryana govt faces major embarrassment as JJP National President Ajay Chautala backs farmers’ agitation

The BJP-led Haryana government faced a major embarrassment with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) National President Ajay Chautala, who is father of the state Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, claiming that the union government should not have any problem in giving written assurance on Minimum Support Price (MSP) to the farmers who are agitating against the new Farm Laws introduced.

Ajay Chautala's statement on the current crisis has a deep significance as the JJP is a political partner with the BJP in Haryana government, reveal political analysts adding that the JJP was voted to power by the farmer core vote bank against the BJP.

"Annadata" (farmers) were on the streets in despair.  The government must resolve the farmers' problems at the earliest. The farmers should be reassured that the system of the MSP will continue. The MSP should be included in the farm laws," claimed Chautala expecting a positive outcome of the farmer-government dialogue.  He further added that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union agriculture minister Narendra Tomar were repeatedly assuring that the MSP will continue, then what's the harm in adding this in the laws.

Senior JJP leader Digvijay Chautala, however, said that senior leaders of his party were waiting for the outcome of the meeting of farmers’ organisations with the government. The party will discuss its future course of action after the meeting, he added.

Meanwhile, Union Minister for states Rattan Katariya's controversial comments over farmers protesting against the Farms Laws sparked a row. The minister was shown black flags by the protesting farmers.

On Monday, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had faced opposition in Panjokhra village where he had gone to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Panjokhra Sahib on Guru Purab. A group of protesters  assembled at the gurdwara, sat in front of the minister's vehicle and raised slogans ‘Kisan Ekta Zindabad’. They also showed him black flags soon after Vij approached his car.

Similarly, citing "atrocities committed on farmers", Somvir Sangwan, an independent MLA, snapped ties from the state's ruling coalition.