Kili Chahalan (Moga): Concerned over the annoyance of the farming community initially due to farm laws and lately due to the inclusion of the agriculture and allied sector in the proposed Indo-US trade deal, easing ties with peasants remained in focus at the “badlav rally” presided over by Union home minister Amit Shah. The minister attempted to change the narrative surrounding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) being an anti-farmer party, specifically targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly spreading lies about the impact of the upcoming trade deal.Shah emphasised that previous Congress regimes could not match the BJP’s efforts to uplift farming. With the farming community forming a massive electoral chunk in Punjab, the party aimed to bridge the gap created by repeated protests. “Whatever BJP under PM Modi has done for farmers has not gone down well with the Congress, mainly Rahul Gandhi, who is spreading lies to keep the community against us. He claims farmers will be destroyed by the trade deal, but the reality is otherwise,” Shah stated. ‘Centre promoting organic farming’Highlighting fiscal shifts, Shah noted that the agriculture budget rose from ₹22,000 crore under Congress to ₹1,40,000 crore under the BJP. He credited the current government with ensuring MSP procurement fixed at 50% profit over costs and the initiation of PM Kisan, depositing ₹6,000 annually into farmer accounts. He further noted that the BJP is decreasing fertiliser dependence by promoting organic farming to save input costs.Shah also targeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, stating they failed to purchase various crops at MSP as promised, contrasting it with Haryana’s performance. Earlier, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar laid the foundation for this pro-farmer narrative. Realising the prevailing anger, Jakhar stated, “The BJP has done a lot, but as the saying goes, ‘Yeh Dil Maange More,’ we need to do more.” He advocated for supporting the precarious conditions of farmers and setting up allied industries to bolster the sector.A fiscal harvestThe home minister pivoted the discussion toward direct financial benefits, contrasting the current administration’s spending with historical data. By citing the six-fold increase in the agriculture budget, the party sought to present a balance sheet of “pro-farmer” governance to a skeptical audience.Shah utilised the rally to draw a geographical comparison between Punjab and neighboring Haryana. By highlighting Haryana’s MSP implementation, the BJP leadership aimed to spotlight the perceived failures of the local AAP administration while positioning the central government as the primary guarantor of crop security.
