Aam Aadmi Party to launch 'Jai Kisan Abhiyan' in Haryana

CHANDIGARH: With the aim of strengthening itself in Haryana, Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) today said it would launch ' Jai Kisan Abhiyan' across the state from February 21 over alleged "anti-farmer" approach by the BJP governments in the state and at the Centre.

As part of the campaign, AAP workers will give 'namak ki thyli' (salt packets) to all Members of Parliament (MPs) from the state.

Stating this here, senior AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said this would be done to remind the MPs of their promises made to farmers before the polls.

Yadav said AAP would stage a demonstration in Gurgaon on February 21 followed by another one in Karnal the next day and at other places in subsequent days.

He alleged that BJP governments both in Haryana and at Centre had "betrayed" the farmers.

"The farmers have been adversely hit by the anti-people decisions of the Central and Haryana governments," he alleged.

He said contrary to the claims made by the Manohar Lal Khattar government in the state, farmers faced shortage of urea fertiliser as the urea import made by the Centre dropped from nearly 43.82 lakh tonnes in June-October 2013 to just 17.37 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period in 2014.

"Question arises whether the government wants to decontrol urea, which at present is under its control, and bring in private players in this sector," he said, adding AAP demands a judicial probe to go into reasons that resulted in "urea shortage" in some parts recently.

Yadav also rued that the farmers were not getting due price for their crops, despite the BJP's pre-poll promise to give farmers 50 per cent more on crop produce.

Yadav also said that the farmers have resented changes in the Land Acquisition law.

He further alleged that the Khattar government had also made changes in the Land Acquisition Act, which was amended on December 4, 2014, a move which would "drastically" reduce compensation to farmers for their acquired land.

"We will not allow a single piece of land to be acquired across Haryana if farmers are given reduced rates," he said, adding that the "anti-farmer face of the BJP government, both in Haryana and at the Centre, has been unmasked".

Buoyed by its stunning victory in Delhi Assembly elections, AAP, which is now aiming to strengthen its base in neighbouring Haryana, had two days back held a meeting here to chalk out its future "action plan" in the state, where it unsuccessfully contested last year's Lok Sabha polls.

The party had earlier decided against contesting the state Assembly polls in October.