Farmers will have to be misled, BJP workers tell party seniors at a meeting in Haryana

At a meeting in Haryana, in which top BJP leaders and a minister were present, party workers pointed out that the agitating farmers are in no mood to listen and they will have to be misled.

According to media reports, the meeting was attended by Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh, BJP state unit president O.P. Dhankar and Hisar MP Brijendra Singh. The workers also asked from the leadership some tips to mislead the farmers.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala took to Twitter to share a video of the incident. "The BJP leader is asking the party president 'to mislead the farmers' in a meeting with the minister and MPs. It is clearly saying that you are right that the farmers will not understand and will have to be misled. This is the real face of the BJP towards the Annadata and the country," he tweeted in Hindi, along with the video.

The farmers are protesting against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The three farm laws, enacted in September last year, have been projected by the government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.

However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of MSP and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. The Centre has repeatedly asserted that these mechanisms will remain.

—With PTI inputs