BJP efforts to convince western UP community leaders on merits of agri laws met with indifference

New Delhi: The BJP’s efforts to convince the khap pradhans (community leaders) of western Uttar Pradesh about the merits of the contentious central farm laws got off to an indifferent start as some pradhans refused to meet them while others said after the meeting that they remained steadfast in their opposition to the laws.

“The minister Sanjeev Balyan came to meet us along with the MLAs and other leaders. I can’t refuse because that is not our culture,” Gajendra Ahlawat, head of Ahlawat Khap, told ET. “I raised our concerns on the farm laws and the minister assured to take it to the higher level within the government. We are supporting the farmers’ movement.”

Several other khap leaders, however, said they refused to meet the BJP leaders and instead appealed to them to meet the farmer leaders of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmers unions which is leading the farmers’ agitation, in Delhi.


“There are 40 farmer leaders who are leading the agitation. Rather than meeting us, the government should try to meet these leaders and convince them,” said Surender Singh of Desh Khap. Singh said that he got a call from the office of Baghpat MP Satya Pal Singh and he said as much to them.

Vivek Chauhan, the head of Chauhan-Pawar Mitra Khap said senior ministers in the government should visit the protest sites and try to convince the farmers sitting there. “If you are ready to take the laws back for one and half years, why can’t you take them back completely?” he said.

Others such as Chaubees Khap leader Subhash Chaprauli and Pawar Khap leader Dharmveer Singh Pawar also said that they won’t be meeting the BJP leaders. Two khap heads, Chaudhary Surajmal of Battisa Khap and Sachin Chaudhary of Jawla Khap, released their videos requesting the BJP leaders not to come to meet them.

Sarva Khap leader Subhash Balyan, however, said there was no mention of farm laws in his meeting with BJP leaders on Saturday. “It was just an informal meeting as they came to my house. Very soon all the khaps will meet to decide the way forward on this,” he said.