Bharat Ratna for Chaudhary Charan Singh hailed in Jatland
Move to be a shot in the arm for the saffron party in west UP, believe political experts and some farmer leaders
MEERUT Rashtriya Lok Dal president Jayant Chaudhary reacted in just three words: ‘Dil jeet liya’, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s highest civilian award ‘ Bharat Ratna’ for former prime minister late Chaudhary Charan Singh on Friday.
It was a long-pending demand of people, especially Jats which the Modi government accepted, sending a wave of happiness among different sections, particularly the agrarian community which also displayed emotions similar to those of Jayant Chaudhary.
In fact, it was a twin delight for farmers as the Union government also announced ‘Bharat Ratna’ for scientist Swaminathan who had played a pivotal role in development of agriculture and ‘Harit Kranti’ in the country.
Bhartiya Kisan Union’s president Naresh Tikait welcomed Bharat Ratna to Swaminathan and late Chaudhary Charan Singh and said, “Both worked lifelong for uplift of farmers. It is indeed an honour for the farmer community.”
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait welcomed the award to Chaudhary Charan Singh and scientist Dr Swaminathan and said that he would extend double thanks if the government implemented their policies.
On being asked whether the award would have any impact on the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Tikait said, “Ask the government if it was given for getting votes or to honour them?”
“The BJP promised to implement the Swaminathan committee recomendation in its manifesto which brought the party to power but it had not implemented the report yet, said Tikait. “ We shall extend double thank to ruling government if they implement the Dr Swaminathan Committee report”, he said .
Political experts and other farmer leaders, however, believe that the RLD’s alliance with the BJP, after announcement of Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan Singh, will be a booster for the saffron party in western UP because it has been facing criticism of being ‘ anti-farmer’ after the 13-month farmers’ stir which witnessed deaths of 750 farmers during the protest.
Former MP and Samajwadi Party leader Harendra Malik hailed the decision but at the same time accused the government of deviating from implementing the report of the Swaminathan Committee for MSP which is a major demand of farmers. He also linked Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan Singh with the coming elections and asked, “ Would Chaudhary Charan Singh accept Bharat Ratna from a government responsible for the martyrdom of 750 farmers?”
He said that the Bharat Ratna had been given to Chaudhary Charan Singh and Swaminathan to neutrilise another movement of farmers to push their demand for MSP ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
Veteran farmer leader Harpal Singh Bilari, who is also president of BKU(Asli) welcomed the decision but at the same time accused the government of burying the ideology of late Charan Singh and not implementing the report of the Swaminathan Committee.
RLD leader Rajkumar Sangwan also expressed his joy over Bharat Ratna to Charan Singh and said “ It was long due as he deserved it”.
Rashtriya Jat Mahasabha’s state president Rohit Jakhar expressed his gratitude to PM Modi and said that “ the decision would have deep social and political impact, specially in western UP”.
Jat voters dominate in 30 out of 130-140 asembly seats of western UP and RLD’s alliance with the BJP will help boost political prospects of both parties in the region.
Political expert Jamshed Zaidi , however, opined that Bharat Ratna to Swaminathan would have no impact on farmers because their life would be changed only if the government implemented the report of the Swaminathan committee on MSP and other issues. He, however, said that Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan Singh would help attract the Jat community though a large percentage of them were already with the saffron party after the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.
He said that the RLD always projected itself as a secular party and Chaudhaty Ajit Singh worked hard to bring Muslim voters back into party-fold after the riots. The alliance of RLD and BJP would drive Muslims away and sabotage the party’s winning combination of ‘ Jat- Muslim’.
However, it’s also a fact that the RLD did its best in alliance with BJP in 2002 assembly elections when it won 14 seats. The party presently has 9 MLAs.
Deeply disappointed by the alliance of RLD and BJP, Maulana Nazar of Muzaffarnagar said that Muslims gave the party votes in the assembly elections because of its secular image. He said, “ Party leaders should ask their MLAs to resign before going for Lok Sabha elections because they cheated us to take our votes”.
