Amid the ongoing protests over the two agriculture reform Bills, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, whose Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) is part of the coalition government, on Friday met Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to discuss the issue, even as the Congress mounted pressure on him to step down.
JJP leader and Indian National Students Organization national president Digvijay Singh Chautala, later talking to reporters, said the party’s coalition with the BJP in Haryana was on strong footing. He added that there was no pressure on the party to leave the alliance in the backdrop of resignation of Ms. Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), from the Union government over the agriculture legislations.
“Chief Minister Manohar Lal and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala were serious about the concerns of the peasantry and both leaders held detailed discussions on the issues of Minimum Support Price and the alleged lathi-charge on farmers in Pipli during recent protest,” he said.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cleared the doubts of the farmers on the farm ordinances and the country must trust him. Paddy procurement would start in Haryana on September 25 and all the doubts of farmers on MSP would be cleared. Government would procure every grain of the paddy and would ensure payment to the farmers on MSP. Also, a probe would be carried out in a lathi charging incident,” he said.
He accused the Congress party of misleading farmers on the farm bills issue by colliding and funding few organizations. “Congress leaders are conspiring to malign the image of Dushyant Chautala, but JJP will not allow this to happen,” he added.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala took a swipe at the JJP and Mr Chautala.
He tweeted, “Akali Dal is guilty of double speak and dishonesty! If JJP-Sh. Dushyant Chautala do not resign, it will be biggest betrayal of Haryana and India's farmer. He came to power on vote of farmers and today when farmer is being killed he is sitting on chair of deputy CM enjoying perks of power!”