Punjab: Three BJP leaders resign after Prez signs farms Bills

Three BJP leaders from Ferozepur district – considered a saffron party stronghold in Punjab – resigned from the primary membership of the party soon after President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the three farm Bills passed recently by the Parliament. Those who quit include Kikar Singh Kutbewala, who was BJP Kisan Morcha president, Charandeep Singh, general secretary, Ferozepur (rural) and Angrej Singh Mintu, former block samiti member and former general secretary, Ferozepur (rural). All had been associated with party for more than 20 years.

Confirming the resignation, Charandeep Singh, from village Baggewala, said,”I have walked with pride holding party flag in hand, but now I have realized that it is not the BJP of (former Prime Minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee, (former Union minister) Sushma Swaraj and (former state party chief) Kamal Sharma. I cannot stay in a party, which is snatching bread and butter of farmers. I am a farmer first and a politician later.”

Kikar Singh Kutbewala, who hails from village Kutbewala of the district, said the farmers are in pain and anger and “I am against these ‘kaale kanoon’ (black laws)”. “I am the president of Kisan Morcha of this district and I know the ground reality, but I was never consulted. To protest against the legislations, I am resigning from the primary membership of party. I stand with farmers and I am ready to make any sacrifice for them.”

Kutbewala said there was no point in sticking to a party that doesn’t want to listen to the grass root level workers and leaders.

Angrej Singh Mintu had been associated with BJP for the past 25 years. He too said he was resigning to protest against the ‘kaale kanoon’ passed by the central government.

Ferozepur is considered a stronghold of the BJP from where the saffron party won the the Ferozepur city Assembly seat for the three terms – 1997, 2002 and 2007 – before losing to Congress in 2012 and 2017.

Kamal Sharma hailed from Ferozepur city. He was member of BJP national executive at the time of his death. “BJP has a strong base in Ferozepur. So if people are resigning, one can gauge the discontent among workers. It is difficult for us to face villagers who are socially boycotting party leaders,” a BJP leader told the The Indian Express.

Contacted, Bikramjeet Singh Cheema, president of BJP Kisan Morcha, Punjab, said,”In a party, sometimes a few persons remain unhappy. They may have resigned due to various reasons. I cannot comment upon their resignations. However, I assert that farm Bills are for the benefit of farmers”.

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