New Delhi: BJP MP Varun Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that government must accept farmers’ demand of statutory guarantee of MSP in the interest of the nation. The Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit also appealed to Prime Minister to quash all politically-motivated false FIRs against farmers protesting against now-repealed three farm laws. Reminding the Prime Minister that over 700 farmers would have still been alive had he taken the decision earlier, the MP demanded ₹ 1 crore compensation for those who died in the course of the year-long protest.
Gandhi, who was dropped from the BJP national executive last month, over his tweets on Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri violence, termed the incident a “blemish on democracy”. On October 3, 8 people, including 4 farmers, lost their lives after their protest in the Lakhimpur Kheri district of UP turned violent. Several people, including Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra was arrested in connection with the violence. “Lakhimpur Kheri incident is a blemish on democracy, strict action must be taken against Union minister connected with it,” he said in the letter.
The BJP leader has been vocally criticising the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and also came out in support of farmers over the agriculture laws. PM Modi announced on Friday that the government will repeal three farm laws, marking a climbdown by his government to end the stalemate with farmers protesting in several states against the reform measures for over a year. Making the announcement during a televised address to the nation, PM Modi appealed to protesting farmers to call off their agitation against these reform measures and return home as he called for a new beginning.