Anti-incumbency headwinds for Yogi Adityanath govt
The problem within the current UP government is not just the claims on settling sugarcane bills, but also with other disadvantageous factors such as rise in cost of seeds, hike in cost of fuel and commercial gas and poor health infrastructure, says 64-year-old Rajendra Malik
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: With seven Indian states gearing up for assembly polls in the coming year,political talks has become one of the hot topics at the farmers' protest site in Ghazipur. BizzBuzz spoke with members of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) residing at the border to know their views onthe upcoming election.
64-years-old Rajendra Malik from Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh (UP) says that the Yogi Adityanath governments' varied claims fall short of the actual deliveries. The 2017 retired Sub-Inspector fromCentral Police Organisation, says that the dues to sugarcane farmers are still pending from the Stategovernment."I have a 5-acre family land in Shamli and we grow different crops such as wheat, rice and sugarcane.All my family members collectively work on the farm. I've never been a BJP supporter and theprimary reason for it is the polarization strategy that they have adopted to gain a vote bank,"Rajendra said.
The retired SI says that the problem within the current UP government is not just the claims onsettling sugarcane bills but also with other disadvantageous factors such as rise in cost of seeds, hikein cost of fuel and commercial gas and poor health infrastructure.
"Five years ago, state government promised that farmers income will be doubled by 2022. But thereality is that there is an increase of only 35 Paisa per kg for sugarcane whereas the cost of seeds isat an all time high. Similarly commercial gas prices are almost Rs 1000 whereas the subsidy is at itslowest. So, where is the benefit for us?" he said.
Rajendra believes that while political parties such as Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have nostrong existence in the state, Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party may see a popular comeback inthe upcoming assembly elections.BKU member Satinder Yadav (name changed), says that although he voted for the Modi governmentin 2014 and 2019 general elections, he regrets his decision to support BJP. The 59-year-old farmerfrom Baghpat district of UP says that he had been an avid supporter of BJP until the three farm lawswere introduced by the government last year.
"Neither the crime has reduced in UP nor the unemployment ratio has improved. The governmenthas made efforts to pit Gujjars versus Jaat. You tell me, how is that the construction of Ram templegoing to safeguard our daughters, mothers or sisters? While the government claims it has given overRs 21,000 crores to sugarcane farmers, these are the older figures. We still haven't receivedpayment for our crops for the year 2020-21. So how can you say that all the dues have beencleared," Satinder questioned.
Farmers at Ghazipur border site also raised concern over current price of urea fertilizer as well as
rise in cost of fodder for animal husbandry. The agitating farmers predict that out of 403 assemblyseats in UP, Bhartiya Janata Party will win mere 40 seats in total in the upcoming elections whichare scheduled to take place in the month of February/March in 2022.
30 year old Himmat Singh, another BKU member, says that although most BJP members in the lowercadre regret bringing in the farm laws, it is the wish of the "higher authority" in the centralgovernment to implement the controversial regulations.
