—The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD-Badal) today blamed the government of India for the failure of talks with the peacefully protesting farmers, saying that the center was deliberately prolonging and deepening the farmers’ crises with the objective of tiring the farmers out and prolonging their agony.
The party also cautioned the farmers’ organizations against conspiracies to trap them with misleading and vague commitments through tricks like setting up a committee. The committee move is merely a part of the delaying tactics to tire the farmers out, its leaders said in a statement.
“But this shows how little does BJP know about the strength, stamina and staying power of our brave farmers,” said senior Akali leaders Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Sikandar Singh Maluka here this evening.
The party praised the farmers leaders for not biting the govt’s committee bait and for not blinking at the critical hour.
The party said the failure of today’s talks is the result of the government’s refusal to focus on the specific demands of the poor and beleaguered farmers. Instead of resolving the crisis, the government is playing dangerous political games. But it won’t succeed”, said senior Akali leaders.
“Besides, what is there about these bills which is not known to the government or to the farmers? What is it that the government wants a committee to tell the farmers and the govt’s on the issue?, asked Bhunder and Maluka.
“The BJP is clearly trying to create divisions in the organisations and may have unleashed agents to accomplish this task. Farmers must be vigilant against such dangerous moves and stay united under all circumstances. Their success depends on their unity and on their success depends on the future of our country,” said they.
The Akali leaders also said that if the BJP’s leadership is hoping that the farmers will run out of strength and stamina, then it is the govt’s colossal blunder.
“The government is underestimating the resolve of the farmers in general and Punjabi farmers in particular. The centre has no idea about the infinite moral, material and even spiritual sources of farmers’ strength. The government must and will have to accept the farmers’ demands as these are perfectly genuine and constitutional,” they said.
Bhunder and Maluka said that there has always been absolute clarity from the start about what the farmers are demanding with regard to the three Acts and other issues. “So why does the centre want to keep discussing the clauses of the bills and other details”, they added.
