Continuous dialogue needed between farmers, party and govt: Varun Gandhi

Three-time Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Varun Gandhihas said communication between farmers protesting against the three farm laws and the government has to be a continuous process. In an interview with HT a day after eight people died in violence that erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri during a farmer protest, he sought action against the perpetrators and cautioned against using pejorative terms for any community. Edited excerpts:

In a letter to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, you have sought strict action against those responsible for violence in Lakhimpur Kheri. Earlier too you wrote to the chief minister for adopting a more humane approach towards the farmers. Has the BJP erred in its outreach to break the logjam with the protesting farmers?

At no point in time should there be a break in communication with our farmers. There has to be non-stop dialogue between the farmers, the party, and the government. These farmers are our own and we cannot view them as the other. Doing so will have far-reaching consequences on both national and food security. We must bend over backwards as a government and as a party to see their concerns are addressed. It is possible that some concerns may appear difficult to achieve in the short term but attempts to redress their concerns has to be a non-stop process.

Does the government need to revisit its outreach?

There cannot be an antagonistic posture. The farmers need to feel that they are equal stakeholders in the government, in shaping the national agenda and in setting the narrative on issues that concern them. Today, if they feel they are not equal stakeholders, then we must work doubly hard to reinvigorate this relationship.

Does the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri point towards administrative failure?

The violence was a result of crime by an individual or by a group of individuals. It is not an administrative failure nor is it the administration hitting out at the farmers or being aggressive. People who are behind this should be jailed and I am confident that they will be punished. However, I can also say with confidence that this is not a breakdown of law and order.

Leaders of opposition parties who tried to reach the area were stopped by the administration. Whether it is leaders from the Congress or the Samajwadi Party, they are not being allowed to move freely...

I support the free movement for anybody and the freedom to voice their concern on anything they have to say. However, since I know the area very well, the situation is a little fragile right now and the opposition leaders must understand that while they have to speak on the issue…they need to be careful about their reactions because they should not further inflame or aggravate the situation.

Also Read: ‘Nobody takes responsibility when…’: Supreme Court on Lakhmipur Kheri incident

There is a section of people in your party who have linked the ongoing farmers’ agitation to extremist movements. A party spokesperson blamed Khalistani elements for the violence on Sunday...

This is not just unfair but also dangerous. This is a community that has laid down lives for the country, generation after generation. There is a historical record of their sacrifices. Punjab has had a troubled history but has been peaceful for the past decade and a half. When we talk of a community in derogatory or pejorative terms, it could act as a provocation for the younger generation. What we say for narrow political gains can have far-reaching consequences. This community has a disproportionately high percentage of people in the army and has always stood to protect the nation. Those who called them traitors should be ashamed of themselves.