‘Dear Fellow Cong People…’: Suspended Leader Sanjay Jha Needles Party on Criticising PM Over Farm Bills

A day after he appeared to defend the Narendra Modi government on the issue of farm bills, suspended Congress leader Sanjay Jha told Congress to stop the “mindless obsession” of opposing the prime minister.

Jha, who was sacked from the party in July for “anti-party activities” and “breach of discipline”, in a tweet on Saturday morning said, “Dear Fellow Congress-people, One must oppose PM Modi whenever justified; that’s par for the course. But let’s not make it a mindless obsession. On #APMC, there is a simple test: Does not APMC abolition end monopoly/cartels & so boost farmer’s income? If YES, back the bills.”

On Friday, Jha had said that the Congress and the BJP are “on the same page” on the issue of farm bills as the Modi government was only doing what the Congress had promised to do ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

“Folks, in our Congress manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha elections we had ourselves proposed abolition of APMC Act and making agricultural produce free from restrictions. This is what Modi government has done in the farmers’ bills. BJP and Congress are on the same page here,” Jha had tweeted.

His comment drew an applause from BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya who said, “The only person, who seems to have read the Congress manifesto, remembers it and is appalled at the duplicity of its leadership, who are conveniently abroad, while the Parliament is on and important steps to empower farmers are being taken.”

Political heat may be rising over three farm sector bills amid strident protests by the Opposition and revolt by the BJP’s oldest ally Shiromani Akali Dal, but the ruling party is confident that numbers are stacked in its favour in Rajya Sabha where these draft laws are expected to be tabled on Sunday.

Farmers in states like Punjab and Haryana have been protesting against these proposed laws which, their leaders allege, will end up dismantling the existing government-backed support system they have. While the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is yet to have a clear majority of its own in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, many regional parties have backed it for the last several sessions to ensure passage of various legislations proposed by the government.

BJP leaders expressed confidence that they will get the support of over 130 members, including nine of the AIADMK, and seven of the TRS and six of the YSR Congress — all three of whom are not part of the ruling alliance, if a division of votes is sought on these bills. The BJP has the highest tally with 86 seats, followed by 40 of the Congress.