BKU president Charuni admits farmer protests aimed to benefit Congress

New Delhi: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Gurnam Singh Charuni, who was one of the leading voices in the farmers' protests, on Sunday admitted that the ongoing farmers' agitation has political undertones aimed at aiding the Congress party in upcoming elections. 

This statement comes amidst the backdrop of the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections where Charuni himself faced a significant electoral defeat.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari called the statement by Charuni as the first open admission of Congress' hand behind the protests which claimed more than 700 lives according to the grand old party.

This is big !

Bhartiya Kisan Union President Gurnam Singh Charuni admit that his job was to openly create a " Mahol" atmosphere in favor of Congress party in Haryana!

This is first open admission.

Farmers of Haryana rejected Congress and its proxies in Haryana! pic.twitter.com/Cilma4QFHa

— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) October 13, 2024

Charuni's admission came to light when he and fellow farmer leader Ramesh Dalal issued a joint statement demanding that the Congress party allocate at least 10 assembly seats to farmer leaders in the Haryana elections. 

This move was seen as an explicit attempt to capitalise on the farmers' protests, which have been a significant political issue since the now-repealed farm laws were introduced in 2020.

The farmer protests, initially sparked by the introduction of three farm laws by the Indian Parliament, have evolved from what was portrayed as an apolitical struggle for farmers' rights into a platform with clear political ambitions. 

Charuni, who has been at the forefront of these protests, organised numerous meetings and was actively involved in mobilising farmers not just in Haryana but also in supporting protests at the borders of Delhi.

Despite the initial success in forcing the government to repeal the contentious laws, the protests continued with demands for a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops among others. 

However, Charuni's recent electoral defeat in the Haryana elections, where he even lost his deposit, suggests a possible disconnect between the protesters' aspirations and the broader electorate's views.

Political analysts argue that this admission might dilute the authenticity of the farmers' movement, portraying it as a tool for political gain rather than a genuine grievance redressal platform. 

The Congress party, which had hoped to ride on the wave of farmer discontent, faced a surprise defeat in the agrarian state for the third time in a row. The BJP, on the other hand, managed to secure a victory despite the farm protests.