Propaganda on to dub agitating farmers ‘anti-national’, ‘Khalistanis’, ‘Pak-backed’ in India

—As farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and some other states have gathered at the entry points of Delhi to protest the Modi government over three farm laws despite several hurdles created by BJP government of Haryana in their way, Hindutva forces have become active to dub them “anti-national elements”, “Khalistanis”, “Pakistan-supported” and “separatists”, etc.

As major participation in “Dilli Chalo” programme planned by the farmers organizations of the country is of Punjab’s farmers who are almost Sikhs by faith, the Hindutva elements are leaving no stone unturned to defame the farmers by playing such dirty tricks.

The farmers have gathered at the entry points of the national capital of the country which is called as “World’s largest democracy”, in a huge number giving sleepless nights to the BJP-led union government that considered that none could challenge it in India. Turned fearful due to such large strength that has shaken entire Delhi and caused unprecedented jams there, elements of the Hindutva forces are passing hatred remarks toward the farmers.

Sharing a link of a hateful article on the Punjabi film artist-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, Bollywood superstar Kangana Ranaut said in a tweet, “Shame….. in the name of farmers har koi apni rotiyaan sek raha hai, hopefully government won’t allow anti-national elements to take advantage and create another Shaheen Baag riots for blood thirsty vultures and tukde gang….”.

The headline of the article published by Opindia.com is “Who is the man in farmer protest video, lying about ‘govt snatching farmland’: Profile of an actor and Khalistan supporter.

Shame….. in the name of farmers har koi apni rotiyaan sek raha hai, hopefully government won’t allow anti national elements to take advantage and create another Shaheen Baag riots for blood thirsty vultures and tukde gang… https://t.co/e3xrt1IcVP

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) November 28, 2020

In another tweet that she deleted later following a lot of flak, the hate-mongering Indian actress crossed all limits quite disrespectful, ugly, and obscene remarks on a very old lady taking part in the stir. Sharing her picture, Ranaut said, “Ha ha ha she is the same dadi who featured in Time magazine for being the most powerful Indian…..And she is available in 100 rupees. Pakistani jurno’s have hijacked international PR for India in an embarrassing way. We need our own people to speak for us internationally”.

Reacting to this post, free thinker and co-founder of Altnews Pratik Sinha said, “This is a false claim by @KanganaTeam. She has now deleted her tweet. Do not forget how she’s using her position to pull down and discredit those who are not privileged and fighting for their rights. She is EXACTLY what she claims to be fighting against”.

This is a false claim by @KanganaTeam. She has now deleted her tweet. Do not forget how she's using her position to pull down and discredit those who are not privileged, and fighting for their rights. She is EXACTLY what she claims to be fighting against. pic.twitter.com/h1huGvf9Ki

— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) November 28, 2020

Ordinary social media users having Hindutva leaning outlook are terming Pakistan behind this agitation. It is being perceived that BJP’s strong IT cell is making the posts hateful toward the farmers viral over social media. The pro-Modi government is also playing a vital role in spreading such vilified propaganda in an attempt to torpedo three months long stir of the farmers.  

Impartial analysts observing the development that has drawn international attention, believe that “BJP IT cell is preparing ground for another massacre of the people by spreading such kind of vilification as it did when Muslim people spearheaded Shahin Bagh protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that discriminated against the Muslims”.

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today claimed that his government has “inputs” on the presence of “Khalistani separatists” in the ongoing farmers’ agitation against recently passed agriculture laws. He further claimed to have access to video and audio clips where protestors can be heard raising slogans like, “Jab Indira Gandhi ko ye kar sakte hain, to Modi ko kyu nahi kar sakte? [Why can’t we do this to Modi, if we have done it to Indira Gandhi?]”.

Taking serious note of the drive during a meeting of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today came down heavily against the Khattar for his “highly provocative, dangerous and divisive statement dubbing the farmers as “Khalistanis”. 

“Do these beleaguered elderly men and ladies from farmers’ families look like Khalistanis to Khattar and his party? It is not the farmers but the Haryana CM himself who is guilty of flouting the Constitution of the country on the anniversary of the Adoption Day of the Statute”, said the SAD in a statement issued after the meeting.

Releasing the details of the meeting to the media, Harcharan Bains, Principal Advisor to the SAD President Sukhbir Badal, said, “The core committee accused the Haryana CM of trying to revive the old Congress tactics to paint its political opponents as separatists. It is the same mindset that was responsible for the Congress repression against Akali agitators in 1982 and continued for a decade and a half, painting a fiercely patriotic community as separatist”.

In the resolution passed on the occasion, the party that remained alliance partner of the BJP for 25 years and recently parted ways with it in protest against the farm laws, further states, “The Haryana CM is trying to create advance-justification for repression and persecution against farmers”.

 “The fact is that the BJP and its governments at the center and in Haryana have got jittery by the success of the farmers’ secular and democratic movement”, it adds.

A journalist of NDTV channel which is known for its pro-people content, Sanket Upadhyay also joined the issue but played against the farmers by saying in a tweet, “Indira Thok, Modi Thok’ like comments are filled with hate. And it is in the interest of #FarmersProtest to disassociate with this sentiment. This single utterance is already being quoted on SM as a grand Khalistani plot”.