Khoon ki Kheti vs Corporate Kheti: Battle of barbs between government, Opposition

As the farmer agitation expanded further with big turnouts at Mahapanchayats in last few days and farmer unions threatening a blockade of national highways on Saturday, the government went ballistic against the Opposition, accusing it of doing "Khoon Ki Kheti" and asserting that farmer unions and the Opposition parties had failed to point out a single flaw in the three new farm laws.

While the battle of barbs between the government and the Opposition reached a flashpoint in the Rajya Sabha on the last day of the second week of the Budget session, a show of Opposition unity could also be visible on Monday when Prime Minister Narendra will reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in the House. BJP has issued a three-line whip to all its members to be present in the House.

Read | Tomar defends farm laws; says Opposition couldn't point out shortcomings

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who rued "nobody is ready to tell what is wrong in these" (koi batane ko taiyar nahin isme kaala kya hai) when the agri laws were being called black laws, went hammer and tongs against the Opposition in the Upper House.

On day 72 of farmer protest that showed signs of further consolidation with the Mahapanchayats in support of them in two BJP-ruled states — Haryana and UP — besides the nerve centre of protest — Congress-ruled Punjab, the Agriculture Minister said protests over farm laws are "limited to only one state" and farmers are being instigated. He also sought to make it clear that the "government's offer to amend them to assuage farmers' sentiments did not mean they had any flaws".

"For two months I kept asking farmer unions what is kala in the laws so that I can try to rectify. But I could not get the answer," he said.

Apparently referring to the release of booklet titled ‘Kheti Ka Khoon,’ finding fault with the three contentious agri laws by Congress earlier, Tomar slammed the main Opposition party saying, "Khoon se kheti sirf Congress hi kar sakte hai, BJP khoon se kheti nahi kar sakti (Only Congress do farming with blood on their hands, not the BJP)."

Such hyperboles have flown between the two parties during the current farmer protest as well as in the past.

Two days ago, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh cited Operation Blue Star and threat from Pakistan as he pressed for early resolution of farm issues while Congress MP in Rajya Sabha Pratap Singh Bajwa barricades erected at a farmers' protest site with the Berlin Wall and war prison and scenes in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq and Uganda. BJP on Wednesday said the Opposition should not make farmers' protest another Shaheen Bagh, referring to last year's anti-CAA protest that had lasted for over 100 days.

Also read: Not the India Gandhi envisaged: Opposition compares barricades at farmers' protest with Berlin Wall

In October 2016, Rahul Gandhi had accused the Modi government of doing "Khoon Ki Dalali" with soldiers' lives after the surgical strike. In 2014, Sonia Gandhi had accused the BJP of doing "Zeher Ki Kheti (farming poison) and in 2007 she had made the "Maut Ka Saudagar' (merchant of death) barb against Modi.

Opposition parties have failed to point out a single flaw in three new farm laws, Tomar insisted peasants of just one state are being misinformed and instigated. Union minister K J Alphons said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait cannot get away by shedding tears after the violence during their tractor parade.

Insisting that hoisting a religious flag at the Red Fort was "treason", Alphons said, "if you are leading an agitation Mr Tikait, and you tell people to take rods with you and then you finally shed tears and say sorry 'I didn't know'. Get a backbone".

Also Read | BJP asks Oppn to not make farmers' stir 'Shaheen Bagh'

BJP Vice President Vinay P Sahasrabuddhe asked "Where is the arrogance" in the government when it is ready to talk even after offering to put the agri laws in abeyance for 18 months and farmer unions even rejecting that? "People in support of the laws can also sit on dharna, do we want a civil war?" he asked as he stressed that the Modi government does not work on populism.

The BJP leaders defended the farm laws and listed out initiatives of the Modi government for farmers to project the government as farmer-friendly.