Ludhiana: Asserting that there is nothing for farmers in the new farm laws and alleging “insensitivity” towards the protesting farmers by his party colleagues and the central government, former Lok Sabha MP Harinder Singh Khalsa resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday.
“I tender my resignation from the primary membership of BJP in protest against the insensitivity shown by party leaders and the government towards the sufferings of the farmers, their wives and children protesting against the three agrarian laws,” he wrote in his resignation letter to BJP chief J P Nadda.
Relieved after sending resignation: Khalsa
While talking to ANI, Khalsa said that he is “relieved” after sending his resignation to Nadda.
“I think we are a democracy and we have to work according to people’s will and feelings. Farmers do not want these laws, yet the government is enforcing these laws. Farmers are fearing that they will become landless after these laws. They should have been convinced through debates and discussions. I think there is nothing for farmers in these laws,” he said.
He added the government is adamant not to repeal the laws. “In a meeting, we had told the BJP leadership that we couldn’t afford to face the backlash of people after enacting these laws,” he said, adding he will not join any party. “I will visit the Singhu border to support the farmers.”
Khalsa had won from Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, contesting on the Aam Aadmi Party ticket, but he joined the BJP in March 2019.
Next round of talks
Meanwhile, farmer unions protesting at Delhi’s Singhu border on Saturday proposed holding the next round of talks with the government on December 29.
They have been protesting for the last one month demanding the repeal of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.