BJP's Varun Gandhi calls for engaging with protesting farmers

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Varun Gandhi on Sunday described farmers, who have been protesting against three farm laws, as 'our own flesh and blood' and suggested that the government should re-engage with them in reaching common ground.

His remarks, which drew support from Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary, came as a large number of farmers gathered for a mahapanchayat organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) at the Government Inter College ground in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.

'Lakhs of farmers have gathered in protest today in Muzaffarnagar. They are our own flesh and blood. We need to start re-engaging with them in a respectful manner: understand their pain, their point of view and work with them in reaching common ground,' Gandhi tweeted, posting a short video of the large crowd.

The mahapanchyat comes ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year.

Praising Gandhi, Chaudhary said, 'Appreciate what Varun bhai is saying but look at what BJP MLA from Khurja, Uttar Pradesh, is commenting. Though deeper tests required, at the very least, Vijendra should get his eyesight tested. Or he could visit some villages in his constituency and repeat this absurd statement.'

The RLD leader was refereeing to a BJP MLA tweet questioning the nationalist credentials of the protesting farmers. He deleted the tweet later.

Gandhi's MP mother Maneka Gandhi retweeted his son's tweet.

Wary of the political fallout of the agitation, which has been spearheaded by the politically and socially strong Jat community in western Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has been cautious in its handling of the agitation despite the protesting leaders being trenchant in their criticism of the government.

The party had asked Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi to tender an apology after she had referred to a section of protestors as 'mawali' (ruffians).

The Centre had held talks with the protesting farmer unions but in vain as they did not agree to their demand of withdrawing the three farm laws.

The government has insisted that these Acts have given farmers new opportunity to sell their produce and rejected the criticism that they are aimed at doing away with the minimum support price regime and farm mandis.