Rajasthan MP Hanuman Beniwal, chief of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) in a tweet to Home Minister Amit Shah has asked the Centre to scrap the three new agricultural laws for which the farmers are protesting in Delhi. After Akali Dal, RLP which is an ally of the ruling party BJP has threatened to break its ties with National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Mr Beniwal has urged the ruling party - BJP-led to hold talks with the farmers immediately instead of Thursday.
Farmers are amongst RLP party’s biggest supporters, said Mr Beniwal. He tweeted, "Mr Amit Shah, given the countrywide sentiment in support of the ongoing farmers' movement, the recently introduced three bills related to agriculture should be immediately withdrawn. (The centre must) implement all recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, and immediately hold dialogue with farmers in Delhi.”
"RLP is an NDA constituent, but its power comes from farmers and jawans. If prompt action is not taken in this matter, I will have to rethink the issue of being a partner in the NDA in the interest of farmers," he added.
Mr Beniwal's warning appears after the BJP lost one of its oldest allies, the Shiromani Akali Dal, over the passage of farm bills in September.
Jats are among huge supporters of RLP, which is a politically powerful community of land-holding farmers in 10-15 Lok Sabha seats of Rajasthan.
The last Rajasthan election was contested by the RLP party in alliance with the BJP.
He said neighbouring state governments, including BJP-ruled Haryana, should not adopt such oppressive policy against farmers.
He said on Thursday, "If the police and governments adopted an oppressive policy against farmers, the RLP will hold demonstrations across the country, including Rajasthan, in favour of farmers.”
Earlier, Beniwal had indicated that he would join the protesting farmers in Delhi with lakhs of farmers from Rajasthan.
The BJP-led central government is being criticised and pressure from other parties over its attitude towards the farmers and is being advised to meet the demands of the farmers who have been protesting now for over a month.
In 24 hours, Home Minister Amit Shah had a meeting with Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday for the second time after the farmers had rejected the Centre's proposal of early talks if they shift their protest site.
Farmers fear that the suggested venue could become a jail for them to which Surjeet Phul, Bharatiya Kisan Union president said, "Delhi Police told the Uttarakhand Farmers Association chief that they'll take them to Jantar Mantar but instead locked them at Burari Park.”
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The farmers have been protesting against the laws nearly for three months now which aims at bringing reforms by doing away with middlemen and improving farmers' earnings by allowing them to sell products anywhere in the country.
But Farmers and opposition parties claim that these laws will deny the farmers of a secured minimum price for their produce and leave them at the mercy of corporates.