Bhubaneswar: The ‘andolanjibi’—a term coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the farmers protest on Delhi border two years ago to protest the three farm laws enacted by the NDA government—have been thrown out their jobs in Haryana after the recent election to the State Assembly. The farmers were then reportedly led by Rakesh Singh Tikait and Gurnam Singh Chaduni. They virtually held Delhi to ransom for a very long period and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the first time in his political career was forced to withdraw the three farm laws.
However, it is understood that the prime minister had intelligence reports that the agitation was a move to destabilize his government and create unrest in the country in the name of farm laws by some vested interests in the country and abroad. The agitation is believed to have been funded by external forces who did not like Narendra Modi as prime minister.
The two above mentioned farmer leaders led the agitation during which they claimed that over 700 people lost their lives, But not in police or government action. Sources in government claimed at that time that the Prime Minister did not want police action under any circumstances as that would have led to chaotic situation in the country.
Chaduni had contested from the Pihoba constituency. He was humbled by Mandeep Chaddha of Congress by over 65,000 votes. One of the two leaders—Chaduni—contested in the election in Haryana and the most surprising fact is the votes he polled. Only 1170. This baffles every one as Chaduni claimed he was the most prominent leader of the farming community. Chaduni claimed that the farmers’ agitation had prepared a ground for the Congress to consolidate during the election. But Congress failed to capitalize and virtually surrendered to the ‘poll management tactics’ of the BJP.
This proves the effective management by the BJP government in saddle at that time and the High Command which had done a thorough check on Chaduni or Tikait’s influence over the farmers. The Congress had thrown the ‘Kissan, Pehlwan and Jawan’ slogan during the polls and post poll surveys infer that the slogan fell dull in front of the BJP poll management. Both Chaduni and Tikait are gradually fading aways and their self claimed sway over the farmers dwindling.
Analysts reject the claim of Chaduni that he had prepared the ambinence for the Congress. According to them, had that been the fact, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda would not have been able to get 37 of his candidates elected in the poll. With the defeat of Chaduni, the ‘Andolanjibis’ have been uprooted in the northern Indian state. Rakesh Tikait had earlier been relegated to the background.
