What enmity does Modi have with farmers? Hanuman Beniwal asks Modi to withdraw farm laws

Hanuman Beniwal, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) chief, has been a vocal supporter of PM Narendra Modi, but he quit the NDA over the farm bills issue. Beniwal, an influential Jat leader in central and northern Rajasthan had helped tilt the 2019 Lok Sabha polls decisively in favour of BJP. Speaking to DH’s Sagar Kulkarni, Beniwal alleged that he was given a false Covid-19 positive report and could not attend Parliament on the day the farm bills were passed.

Why did you leave the NDA?

On the bills brought before Parliament earlier, I supported the BJP and NDA, including on Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir. But these three farm bills, when they were brought before Parliament, none of the NDA allies were consulted. The BJP should have consulted all parties on issues that could become controversial and generate such impassioned reactions. The PM could have called a meeting of the NDA. The farm laws were brought in through the Ordinance route and then rushed through in Parliament. The day the bills were passed, my coronavirus report was also falsely reported as positive. I got myself tested again the same day -- both RT-PCR and antibody – and both tests certified that I did not have Covid-19. I was allowed to go to the Lok Sabha three days later, but by that time the government had got the farm bills passed.

A reading of the bills makes it clear that they will not help in doubling farmers’ income. It is clear that big companies will create land banks and seize the lands of the farmers. These laws are not in favour of farmers. They will encourage black marketing, and markets will close down. This is the reason I quit the NDA. I had warned them, written letters, and met the top BJP leadership and urged them to take back the bills. My demand is that the government should accede to the farmers’ demand and repeal the three bills; pass a separate law to ensure that farmers get MSP and implement the Swaminathan Committee report in its true spirit.

Will you quit your Lok Sabha seat as well?

I have not decided on it yet. But I have told the farmers that if required, I will do so for their cause. This is not my agitation, it is being led by the farmers’ unions and the RLP has extended support to it.

I do not doubt the PM’s leadership, but I cannot be part of an alliance where the voice of our party is not heard. If he can scrap Article 370, what enmity does he have with the farmers? He should listen to the farmers, they have laid down their lives in the bitter cold in Delhi. In these six states – Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh – NDA has won more than 120 seats. How can you say a handful of farmers are protesting? And their MPs make outrageous comments, saying terrorists have infiltrated the agitation, farmers are enjoying biryani, and they are waving AK-47s! Such statements are a clear insult to farmers. They will not tolerate it. It is my request to the government – do not play with fire. It is up to the government what it wants to do, but we are with the farmers and fighting for their rights.

Rajasthan government has passed its own laws to negate the Centre’s farm laws.

Rajasthan government is merely pretending to help the farmers. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot even sat on a ‘dharna’ to awaken the farmers. Were we asleep? We have been agitating on the streets for such a long time. It is just a case of oneupmanship, just to show that Congress is also supporting the farmers’ cause. Congress leaders brought cycles in a truck near the border and cycled for 100 meters and claimed to undertake a cycle yatra. Congress has been exposed completely. It has no standing in the state. I am the son of a farmer, we are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the farmers under our own party flag.

How is the Gehlot government functioning in Rajasthan?

Complete zero. There is a tacit understanding between Gehlot and former CM Vasundhara Raje. Gehlot has allowed her to continue to stay in the chief minister’s residence by allotting it to her. Her loyalists have floated a separate front in the state. She had even helped Gehlot by asking her supporters to back him when he was in trouble last year. This tacit understanding between them has been going on for the past 22 years. The people of Rajasthan have seen through all this and will teach both of them a lesson.

What will be the stand of RLP in the 2023 Assembly elections?

The RLP will win big against both Congress and BJP. We will contest all the seats in 2023.

The fate of the smaller parties has been uncertain in Rajasthan. Parties such as BSP merged with Congress. We have seen smaller parties joining BJP as well.

Rajasthan did not have its own regional outfit. RLP is the first party to keep the state’s interests at the forefront. BSP is an outsider, so are Communists. These parties of outsiders keep on merging with bigger parties. RLP will give Rajasthan a new alternative. We are performing the role of the opposition in Rajasthan, not BJP.

It is the habit of BJP to decimate smaller parties. Congress is no different. But RLP will not be decimated. Our aim is to bring RLP to power in the state in 2023.