Protests were held in various parts of Haryana to condemn the alleged “insensitive comments” made by the State Minister of Agriculture and Agricultural Welfare, JP Dalal, about farmers who had died during the ongoing agitation at the Delhi borders against the agricultural laws of the Center. Farmers burned effigies of Dalal in various places.
In a video that is widely shared on social media, Dalal is allegedly heard responding to a media inquiry about more than 200 deaths of farmers during the ongoing unrest and commenting that they would have died even if they had stayed home.
“If they had been in their houses, they would have died there too. Listen to me, one to two lakh, don’t 200 people die in six months? Someone is dying of a heart attack and someone after getting sick, ”Dalal had allegedly said.
Hours later, the minister said that his statement had been misrepresented on social media and attributed a “wrong meaning.” “If anyone is hurt by this, I apologize,” he said, adding that he would continue to work for the well-being of farmers and that it is painful if someone dies.
Farmers, especially those sitting on national highway toll plazas, burned effigies of the minister. All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) Haryana unit secretary Dayanand Poonia said farmers were angry with Dalal’s comments. “The minister laughed at the death of the peasants who died during the upheaval. He even tried to smear the agitation of the farmers, ”Poonia said. According to the peasant leader, the agitators burned effigies of the minister in several villages in the Bhiwani district, including Bidhwan, Matani, Kalali, Talwani, Mandoli and Obra.
Farmers at the Landhdi toll plaza on the Hisar-Sirsa national road also burned the minister’s effigy. Former Hisar Zila Parishad member Suresh Kumar said farmers had started making phone calls on Saturday night to organize protests after a video of the minister’s statement went viral.
Since the protests began, Dalal has faced the ire of farmers for his controversial remarks. Farmers fear that “companies will take over their land after the introduction of the three agricultural laws.”
However, Dalal said: “The existing mandi system will continue to work. Now, only an alternative system has been offered, which is simply optional. Farmers can choose either system. There is nothing in the laws that is binding on farmers. There is no logic for the turmoil in Haryana. Small farmers have been misled into telling them that the mandi system will collapse and that the minimum support price (MSP) will end after the introduction of new laws. “
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She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.