BJP candidate and former Haryana Minister Anil Vij faces farmer’s ire in Ambala  

Farmers, upset with BJP, stage protests at Vij’s election meetings in the Ambala Cantonment constituency; however, a division in the anti-BJP vote, with a Congress rebel in the fray

Angry farmers are picketing election meetings of BJP leader and former Haryana Minister Anil Vij in villages falling under the Ambala Cantonment constituency, from where he is seeking re-election for the seventh time. But the Congress, the key challenger to Mr. Vij, also does not have its house in order, with a rebel candidate in the fray, dividing the anti-BJP votes.

Mr. Vij was dropped from the Haryana Cabinet after BJP leader Nayab Singh Saini replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as the Chief Minister in March this year. 

A video of Mr. Vij taking up responsibility for the police firing on protesting farmers on the Punjab-Haryana boundary in February this year, when 21-year-old Shubhkaran Singh from Patiala died, has been widely circulated on social media groups. In the video, he is heard saying, “Firing may have been on anyone’s orders, but I was the Home Minister at that point, and I take responsibility. I cannot run away.”

Clash at Garnala

Earlier this week, at a corner meeting in Garnala village under the constituency, hundreds of farmers descended to shout slogans “BJP murdabad”. Mr. Vij was forced to leave the meeting midway after a clash broke out between the farmers and BJP workers accompanying the Minister.

Speaking to The Hindu, Manjeet Singh, the block president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh), who led the protest at Garnala, explained the reasons for the farmers’ anger. “We wanted to just peacefully speak to Mr. Vij. There were hundreds of us, but to keep things in order, we picked just 10 of us to speak to Mr. Vij. But that too was not allowed. The BJP workers trailing him started shouting “BJP zindabad” and attacked us,” Mr. Singh said.

Mr. Singh said the farmers needed answers on why the government was using oppressive measures against the protesting farmers and why the government was not keeping its promise of providing legal guarantee for minimum support price. He added, “When Mr. Vij has himself confessed that he was responsible for firing on peacefully protesting farmers then why is there no case against him?”

Mr. Singh clarifies that he and other farmers are not with any party but are “definitely anti-BJP” and will support any party that can ensure the BJP’s defeat.

MSP main concern

At Panjokra Sahib village, Tejpal Singh lists what he calls the “anti-farmer” measures taken by the BJP. “The government has imposed steep taxes on agricultural goods. A tractor, which used to cost ₹5 lakh-₹6 lakh, is now available for ₹10 lakh. Every year, we slip into further debt, as we are unable to recover the cost of production, but the government refuses to give a legal guarantee for MSP,” he said.

The Congress’s Parimal Pari and Independent candidate Chitra Sarwara are in the fray against Mr. Vij. Ms. Sarwara is the daughter of senior Congress leader Nirmal Singh. Mr. Nirmal Singh himself is contesting from Ambala City. “He wanted a Congress ticket for himself and his daughter. But the party has a clear policy of one ticket for one family. When his daughter was denied a ticket, she decided to contest as an independent. This two-way split in the Congress votebank will prove costly,” a Congress worker said.

On the ground, especially in the villages, Ms. Sarwara is a more recognisable face. At Khatauli village, under the constituency, Risal Singh, a small grocery shopkeeper, says he has not yet made up his mind on who to vote for but is sure that he will vote against the BJP. “We know Chitra, we know her father. But we have never heard of the Congress candidate till he was fielded in this election. We will vote for the person who we trust will stand with us through thick and thin,” he said.

The election to the 90-member Haryana Assembly will be held on October 5, 2024.

Published - September 28, 2024 09:25 pm IST