Sonipat: Former MP and senior Congress leader Brijendra Singh sharpened his attack on the Haryana govt during the Ganaur leg of his ongoing ‘Sadbhavna Yatra (harmony march)’ on Friday, flagging farmers’ distress, administrative “overreach” and what he described as a widening trust deficit between the state and its agrarian base.The yatra, now in its 188th day, entered Ganaur in Sonipat district as part of its final phase, with an extensive outreach across villages including Gumad, Ahir Majra, Kheri Gujar, Atayal, Ahlana and Khubru. Ahead of public interactions, Singh — accompanied by former assembly speaker Kuldeep Sharma — visited the Ganaur grain market to review wheat procurement operations and engage directly with farmers. Launching a pointed critique, Singh questioned the rationale behind linking tractor registration norms with crop procurement. He argued that such requirements impose avoidable barriers on farmers, particularly when produce is transported using shared or hired machinery. “This is less about regulation and more about burdening farmers with procedural hurdles,” he said, suggesting that governance is increasingly veering towards paperwork rather than problem-solving. Highlighting crop losses due to unseasonal rainfall, Singh said farmers are being squeezed between climate volatility and rigid administrative frameworks. He also took aim at statements from the state’s agriculture establishment, calling them disconnected from realities on the ground. Expanding the scope of his criticism, Singh warned that prospective trade engagements with the United States could have far-reaching implications for India’s farm economy, particularly for small and marginal farmers. The former MP also flagged concerns over what he termed a deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state, asserting that rising crime has eroded public confidence. He further cited the rollback of pensions for thousands of elderly citizens — later reinstated following public backlash — as indicative of policy inconsistency. With the yatra set to culminate in Rohtak on May 5, the campaign is increasingly being viewed as a calibrated political outreach aimed at consolidating rural sentiment ahead of future electoral contests in Haryana. Senior Congress leaders, including former Union minister Chaudhary Birender Singh, were present during the Ganaur leg, signalling the party’s intent to amplify its engagement with the farming community. MSID: 130170953 413 |
