Senior Congress leader and former CM of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, stamped Robert Vadra as a small farmer. "If he owns land designated as an agricultural zone, then he is a farmer, ", asserted Hooda. (Robert Vadra is a small farmer' The Hindu August 27., 2013). The Times of India (February 15., 2021) asks whether "farmer Robert Vadra jumps into the 'farmer protest fray' since he has excellent credentials to be a 'Kisan Leader". Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is representing farmers, addressing farmer protests and Kisan Maha panchayats.
The Communist farmer unions, Maoists and self-styled farmer groups, their ideologies and media groups cheered and greeted the new farmer icon they discovered in Vadra.
An article by Indranil De (IRMA, Anand) and Sanjib Purohit (NCAER, Delhi), in The Print, dated September 30, 2020, and titled 'Rich farmers dominate farm protests in India', highlighted, how since Charan Singh days, rich peasants have led peasant agitations in India. According to Surjit S. Bhalla, Executive Director I.M.F. India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan, the top two lakh farmers of Punjab and Haryana have incomes — mostly drawn from agriculture — that are among the top eight percent of all incomes in India, including urban income. Amar Bhushan, former special secretary of Research and Analysis Wing, warned that the agitating farmers' confidence has been boosted by support from Khalistanis, Naxalites and Muslim fundamentalists.
Demands Release of Delhi Rioters and Maoists
The Bhartiya Kisan Union launched the farmers' platform to demand the release of several accused arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for allegedly having links with Naxals on human rights day.
At New Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, nearly 100 farmers of the Punjab Kisan Union reached to extend support. Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan), Punjab students union (Randhawa group) and the Joint Action Committee visited the protest site, and some have donated ration. The protesting farmers were also seen holding posters in support of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi and others accused in Delhi riots accused.
Left activists and fellow travellers who supported the farmers' protest included late Jesuit priest Stan Swamy. Activist Nandini Sundar in the context of farmers protest in Delhi, has highlighted Catholic priest Stan Swamy as an icon who spent a lifetime helping farmers.
CPI-Maoist Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) secretary Ganesh released a letter extending support to the farmers' movement. The Times of India (February 3., 2021) reported on the Maoists' think tank, which has appealed to the masses to join the farmers' agitation against the central government through press communication.
A delegation of 500 workers belonging to the 'Kerala Karshaka Sangham', the state chapter of All India Kisan Sabha AIKS controlled by the ruling C.P.M. from Kerala, reached Delhi to join their counterparts.
After central government putting ideological opposition to the farmers' protests and equating some with "Left and Naxal elements," nearly 32 farmer unions passed a resolution making it clear that their only issue is the repeal of farm laws and nothing else, such as the release of those jailed in Delhi riots and imprisoned Maoist cadres. Carefully calibrating their distancing from the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), the joint resolution said: "The function organized by B.K.U. (Ekta Ugrahan) has no relation with the farmers' struggle. Their action has harmed the farmers struggle."
Left students from Delhi University (D.U.), Jawaharlal Nehru University (J.N.U.), Punjab University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Ambedkar University joined the farmers' protest. But the same left students were hiding under the carpet during the Nandigram violence in 2007, killing 14 people and the Lalgarh violence in 2009, both in West Bengal under the left government.
Islamists and Khalistanis Support Farmer Protests
In September 2019, various farmer organizations held a rally at Bathinda against the Union Government's move to abrogate Articles 370 and 35-A and change Jammu & Kashmir into Union Territories. While addressing the protesters, B.K.U. Ekta Ugrahan leaders said, "Kashmiris should be given freedom and right to take their own decision. For the last 72 years, the ruling parties have tried to suppress the Kashmiri people. While sending the Army, it was promised that after restoration of normalcy, Kashmiris will be given right to choose the country they want to join or formation of a separate country." ( The Tribune, September 11., 2019).
Several mosques in Delhi and United Against Hate (U.A.H.), a campaign founded by a group for anti-C.A.A. protest, tied up to provide food to the protesting farmers at the Sant Nirankari Samagam Ground in north Delhi's Burar.Maulana Sajjad Nomani, the spokesperson of All India Muslim Personal Law Board speaking at the Singhu border, extended full support for the farmers' protests.
Muslim organizations in Kerala have expressed solidarity with the farmers agitating in Delhi. The Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS) Wisdom Islamic Organisation Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (K.N.M.), The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and Markazudawa secretariat have expressed solidarity with the farmers. Sikhs for Justice (henceforth S.F.J.) was the one singular international group that monitored the farmers protest in Delhi. S.F.J. was formed in 2007, demanding Khalistan a separate homeland for Sikhs in Punjab. Its legal adviser – Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, had launched 'Referendum 2020', which aimed to "liberate Punjab from Indian occupation".
The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (J.I.H.), Members of various Muslim organizations in Ludhiana, led by Shahi Imam of Punjab Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Sani Ludhianvi, who is national president of Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam, took out a protest march during Bharat Bandh against the farm laws. Chicago-based Dr Mohammad Qutbuddin has said that farmers in India are protesting for their rights, and Muslim organizations and masses should stand by them.
In January 2021, Dr Shaheryar Ansari, representative of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, extended its support for the farmers' protests.
In a statement issued on November 26, 2020, the radical Islamic group, Popular Front of India Chairman O.M. A Salam extended his organization's support to Delhi Chalo March being taken out by farmers' organizations.
Now the focus has shifted to Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh ahead of polls next year. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (J.I.H.) Vice President Prof. Salim Engineer has condemned the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh. Anis Ahmad, General Secretary of Popular Front of India, also has extended support to the Lakhimpur Kheri protests.
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