FINANCIAL WORLD--28-9-24------Haryana Election: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC card? Jag MohanThaken
KALINGA CHRONICLE-29-9-24----Haryana Election: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC card? Jag MohanThaken
KALINGA CHRONICLE-29-9-24----Haryana Election: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC card? Jag MohanThaken
Haryana Election: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC card? Jag Mohan Thaken
GROUND POST
(Since – 2018)
A platform of Features, News -Analysis,
Current Issues & Ground Report
Chandigarh (India) Mob—+918557033198
Blog – https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/ Mail – groundvoice1956@gmail.com
And thaken.journalist@gmail.com
Editor --- Jag Mohan
Thaken
===============================================
Article
for Edit/opinion page
------------------------------------------------
HaryanaElection: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC
card?
In order
to neutralize the anti-incumbency wave that arose due to the issues of ‘farmer-soldier-wrestler’
against the BJP government, the BJP after keeping Prime Minister Modi's trusted
confidant Manohar Lal Khattar on the Chief Minister's throne for about nine and
a half years, brought Nayab Singh Saini, who belongs to the backward caste, to
power only six months before the elections so that the Other Backward Class (OBC)
vote bank could be unilaterally cashed in favour of the BJP.
With this
hope, the BJP had also declared before the Haryana Assembly elections that even
after the elections, Nayab Singh Saini would again be the Chief Minister in
their government.
To woo
the OBC votes en masse under the chief ministership of Nayab Singh Saini, BJP
fielded 21 OBC candidates out of total 90, but adopting the same tactics, to
snatch its share of OBC votes from BJP’s clutches, Congress also gave 20 seats
to OBC category, which is now barricading the BJP’s efforts.
BJP
thought that by making Saini the Chief Minister, BJP will get OBC vote bank in
bulk, but BJP probably failed to assess that Saini is not being considered as
the face of OBC, but he is being considered as Khattar's face mask. Why would
the largest OBC section, Ahir (Yadav) caste, be happy with Saini being
promoted? The vote bank of Ahirs (Yadavs) has its influence in about one and a
half dozen assembly constituencies and can turn anyone's victory into defeat.
The Yadav vote bank has understood that no matter how much Rao Indrajit Singh
claims to bring power in South Haryana, the BJP will never let Rao's plans come
true. Therefore, this time the Yadavs seem to have made anti-BJP mood.
Before
the elections, Union Minister Rao Indrajit Singh had
been expressing anger on almost every platform that this time he will bring the
helm of Haryana to South Haryana. Without
naming anyone, he has repeatedly mentioned that people junior to him are being
given cabinet rank posts in the Union Cabinet, whereas he has not been able to
rise beyond the post of Minister of State for the last 15 years. Rao's
supporters are also angry with this helplessness of Rao Indrajit Singh and due
to this, BJP is also afraid of losing votes in Ahirwal. To calm down the anger
of Rao and his supporters, Rao's daughter Aarti Rao, who was denied party
ticket in 2019, this time has been made
a candidate in the assembly elections, but how much this lollipop will be able
to pacify the resentment, only the election results will tell.
BJP’s OBC
card theory got another jolt when the former minister and president of BJP’s
Haryana OBC Morcha, Karan Dev Kamboj, who is upset at not getting a ticket in
the assembly elections, assessing the declining position of the BJP, left all
types of BJP membership including the OBC Morcha presidentship and joined the
Congress alleging that the saffron party considers the backward community as a
mere vote bank and is not ready to give them rights.
Seeing
anger of farmers against the party and on not getting the ticket, BJP’s Haryana
Kisan Morcha president and former MLA Sukhvinder Mandhi has also bade good bye
to the party and joined the Congress.
Smelling
the weak position of the party and decreasing gravitational force of the top
leadership, especially PM Modi and Amit Shah during the current Lok Sabha
elections, wherein BJP lost its 50 percent seats in 2024 in comparison to 2019
in Haryana, party’s many stalwarts have also left the party.
To
mention a few more; India’s richest woman, Jindal group chairperson, BJP leader
Savitri Jindal has joined the electoral fray and filed papers as an independent
candidate after she was denied the ticket by the BJP. A former minister and
two-time MLA, she put her foot down to take the field opposite BJP candidate
Kamal Gupta from Hisar assembly constituency, despite the fact that her son
Naveen Jindal is a BJP MP from Kurukshetra.
Former
power minister, and a candidate of BJP in just held Lok Sabha election from
Hisar, Ranjeet Singh Chautala has also left the BJP and is fighting assembly
election against the BJP candidate as an independent.
What’s on
ground and why it’s so?
In the
present scenario, the BJP seems to lose the ground badly. Political analysts suggest that BJP hardly
will cross the 25 mark and it will remain between 20-25 out of 90 seats,
whereas its main opponent Congress playing on high pitch seems to get a major
chunk and may get its share somewhat between 55—60, leaving behind a scope of
winning 5 to 10 seats for others, including independents. Former Deputy Prime
Minister, late Chaudhary Devilal’s clan may suffer the most.
The
ground report shows that the atrocities against the agitating farmers, tyranny over
women wrestlers, squeezing the scope and employment opportunities for the youth
willing to serve the Indian Military by enforcing Agniveer scheme; are some
major reasons for the resentment in Haryana’s voters and thin position of the
BJP. However, harassing the people
through Property ID, Family ID, different types of portals and mockery with
unemployed youth allowing uncontrolled frequent paper leaks are also the
factors of creating anti- incumbency wave.
Will
Saini get the CM throne again, if BJP comes to power?
Union
Home Minister, Amit Shah, while addressing a worker meeting on June 29 at
Panchkula, Haryana declared that even after the elections, Nayab Singh Saini
would again be the Chief Minister in BJP government. Shah said, “BJP will fight
the next assembly elections under the leadership of Saini, who will also be the
next chief minister.”
Commenting
over the statement of Shah, an Unemployed youth says, “Na Nau Mann Tel Hoga, Na
Radha Nachegi (If sky falls, we shall catch the larks). He adds – Saini is being
presented as the second Channi, just to woo the OBC votes, to whom Congress had
floated as next CM of Punjab to fetch the Dalit votes in assembly election of 2022
in the state.
Now, from
the claims of the state level leaders of the BJP and the promise of Amit Shah
in Behal, Bhiwani rally held on 17 September in favour of state finance
minister J P Dalal from Loharu constituency, it seems that even if the BJP
government is formed, then also the Chief Minister could be someone else
instead of Saini.
Union
Minister Rao Indrajit Singh had been expressing his desire to become the Chief
Minister indirectly almost on every
platform that this time he will bring the helm of Haryana to South Haryana.
Now the former Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij
too has staked his claim to the CM chair. On September 15,2024, he said, “I am
the senior most MLA of BJP in Haryana. I have contested elections for 6 times.
On the demand of people, I will claim for the designation of CM on the basis of
my seniority this time. However, it is in the hands of high command whether
they will make me CM or not. If they make me the CM I will change the picture
of Haryana."
BJP
candidate from Loharu constituency, the finance minister in the present
government, J P Dalal has also started to present himself as the sure shot
future Chief Minister of Haryana in his speeches after the Behal rally of Amit
Shah on September 17, in which shah had exhorted the people of Loharu to elect
him the MLA and the party will make him a ‘Bada Aadmi’. (Tum Dalal ko MLA Bana
Do, Party Ise Bada Aadami Bana Degi.) “You make him MLA; Party will make him a
big person.”
Some
Political Analysts think that BJP top leadership has smelt the essence of the
ground and they have concluded that the Nayab Singh Saini is not being taken as
the leader of entire OBC category and his name can only woo the Saini voters
upto some extent, so the party has started to lure the different segments of
the society by projecting the candidates
of other castes also as Chief Minister and it seems that the party itself has allowed
to pose them as potential CM, otherwise, the leaders of Dalal level, only one
time MLA, can never claim to become the
Chief Minister in BJP rule, wherein six times MLA and Home Minister in previous
Khattar government, Anil Vij and Three times MLA , Six times Member of
Parliament and Minister of State in the central ministry for more than last 15 years, Rao Inderjeet Singh have even
not been considered for the waiting list for the Chief Ministership.
Anyway,
according to Galib – ‘Humko Maloom Hai
Jannat Ki Hakiqat , Lekin Dil Bahlaane Ko
Galib Khayal Achchha Hai.’ (I know the reality of heaven; but this
thought is good to entertain the heart.)-- GROUND POST
=====================
Haryana Election: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC card? Jag Mohan Thaken
Haryana
Election: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC
card?
FINANCIAL WORLD-21-9-24-- FARMERS' VOICE: WILL IT REMAIN EVER UNHEARD- JAG MOHAN THAKEN
FINANCIAL WORLD-21-9-24-- FARMERS' VOICE: WILL IT REMAIN UNHEARD FOR EVER- JAG MOHAN THAKEN
PUNJAB TIMES -- 20-9-24-- FARMERS' VOICE; WILL IT REMAIN UNHEARD FOREVER? JAG MOHAN THAKEN
FARMERS' VOICE; WILL IT REMAIN UNHEARD FOREVER? JAG MOHAN THAKEN
KALINGA CHRONICLE - 19-9-24-- FARMERS' VOICE; WILL IT REMAIN UNHEARD FOREVER? JAG MOHAN THAKEN
FARMERS' VOICE; WILL IT REMAIN UNHEARD FOREVER? JAG MOHAN THAKEN
THE HAWK-17-9-24-- Farmers’ Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever? Jag Mohan Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
THE HAWK
Farmers’
Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever?
Jag Mohan
Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
SOUTH INDIA TIMES-- 17-9-24-- Farmers’ Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever? Jag Mohan Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
SOUTH INDIA TIMES
Farmers’
Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever?
Jag Mohan
Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
NORTHLINES-17-9-24--- Farmers’ Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever? Jag Mohan Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
NORTHLINES-17-9-24
Farmers’
Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever?
Jag Mohan
Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
INDIAN CHRONICLE-17-9-24-- Farmers’ Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever? Jag Mohan Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
INDIAN CHRONICLE --17-9-24
Farmers’
Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever?
Jag Mohan
Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
CAPITAL INFORMATION -- 17-9-24 -Farmers’ Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever? Jag Mohan Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
CAPITAL INFORMATION-17-9-24
Farmers’
Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever?
Jag Mohan
Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
Farmers’ Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever? Jag Mohan Thaken – Editor The Ground Post-- https://thegroundpost.blogspot.com/
Farmers’
Voice: Will It Remain Unheard forever?
Jag Mohan Thaken
Farmers
of the country, especially of Punjab and Haryana, are struggling for legal
guarantee of MSP from 2020. The combined farmers’ unions protested at Delhi
border for more than 13 months during 2020-21 to get repealed the three
anti-farmer agricultural bills, wherein more than 700 farmers had to lose their
lives. Still the farmers of these two
states are on a sit-in at Shambhu and Khanauri borders for the last seven
months, as per media reports. The organisers of this protest have declared
their further course of action to hold a Maha Panchayat at Pipali in
Kurukshetra, Haryana on September 22, 2024.
Both the
major parties of India- BJP as well Congress slam each other and claim itself
the only well-wisher and the real protector of the farmers, but who is the real
one, is the question that requires answer and analysis.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on 14 September, said that
the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is farmer friendly and agriculture and
farmers welfare is his top priority. The Modi government has taken some big
decisions in the interest of farmers.
Chouhan said that farmer the friendly Modi government has taken a
decision to increase the import duty on edible oils from 0% to 20% and on
adding other components, the total effective duty will be 27.5%.
On
September 14, 2024, while addressing a Haryana assembly election rally in
Kurukshetra, a stronghold of farmers' movement, the Prime Minister Narender
Modi, attacking the congress, alleged that it did not care for farmers, and
‘extended false promises’ and spread ‘anarchy’.
Reporting
the version of PM Modi in Kurukshetra rally, ‘The Hindu’, an esteemed English
daily posted on its web portal, “The Congress has never been bothered about the
problems of the people. There is no other party in the country that is more
dishonest and deceitful than the Congress. The Congress talks big for farmers,
shows them big dreams. It’s nothing but a lie. These people make so much noise
about minimum support price (MSP), whereas it is in Haryana, where the BJP is
in power, that 24 crops are purchased at MSP. I challenge, if Congress has the
guts, why doesn’t it implement its farmer schemes in Karnataka and Telangana,
where the Congress is in power? How many crops do they buy at MSP in Karnataka
and Telangana? All development work in Karnataka and Telangana has come to a
standstill. Congress is a dishonest party.”
While
giving the details of Union Cabinet decision about the approval in the increase
in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Kharif Crops for Marketing
Season 2024-25, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi , a PIB
release dated June 19,2024, divulged that during the period 2003-04 to 2013-14
for 14 crops covered under Kharif Marketing Season, the minimum absolute
increase in MSP was Rs.745/- per quintal for Bajra and maximum absolute
increase was Rs.3,130/- per quintal for Moong while during the period 2013-14
to 2023-24, the minimum absolute increase in MSP was Rs.780/- per quintal for
Maize and maximum absolute increase was Rs.4,234/- per quintal for Nigerseed.
The release further claimed that the increase in MSP for Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2024-25 is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times of the All-India weighted average cost of production, The expected margin to farmers over their cost of production are estimated to be highest in case of bajra (77%) followed by tur (59%), maize (54%) and urad (52%). For the rest of the crops, margin to farmers over their cost of production is estimated to be at 50%.
On the
other hand, stating the claims of BJP as hollow claims about MSP, the General
Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee, former Union Minister, and MP
from Sirsa, Kumari Selja alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
governments at the centre have not been able to raise the Minimum Support Price
(MSP) of crops even once compared to Congress. Neither the Vajpayee government
nor the Modi government, which has been in power for the past ten years, has
paid any attention to farmers. Even the BJP government in Haryana has never
advocated for increasing the MSP. Whereas, the Manmohan Singh-led Congress
government demonstrated its pro-farmer stance by raising the MSP of crops every
year.
In a
statement released to the media, Kumari Selja said that from 1999 to 2004, the
BJP-led government only increased the price of paddy by 14%, which amounted to
an annual increase of just 2.3%. In contrast, under the Manmohan Singh
government, the MSP of paddy was increased by a total of 143%, or 14.3%
annually. Since 2014, the Modi government has only raised paddy prices by
54.1%, equating to an annual increase of 6%.
The
former Union Minister said that between 1999 and 2004, the BJP Alliance
government increased the MSP of wheat by just 10.3%, with an annual increase of
1.7%. However, during the Congress-led Manmohan Singh government, the MSP of
wheat saw a 126% increase, or 12.7% annually. In comparison, the Modi
government has increased it by only 39.3% in ten years, compared to the
Congress's 126%.
Kumari
Selja further said that the Manmohan Singh government not only increased the
MSP of rice and wheat but also raised the prices of all crops by 150-200%, or
two and a half to three times.
In
contrast, the Modi government has barely increased MSP by 50%, while the cost
of farming has increased several times during this period. Taxes have been
imposed on farming-related goods and equipment. The former minister pointed out
that the Congress government never imposed taxes on agriculture, while the Modi
government reduced the weight of fertilizer bags from 50 kg to 40 kg and
decreased the nitrogen content, leading to increased usage and expenses for
farmers. Electricity prices for farmers have risen, and despite cheaper crude
oil, diesel prices have not been reduced, further increasing the cost of
farming. This shows that the BJP government has consistently conspired to empty
the pockets of farmers, said Kumari Selja.
Why the
Farmers not satisfied with the Government’s MSP?
The
central government claims that while calculating the MSP, it considers all expenditures and includes all paid out
costs such as those incurred on account of hired human labour, bullock
labour/machine labour, rent paid for leased in land, expenses incurred on use
of material inputs like seeds, fertilizers, manures, irrigation charges,
depreciation on implements and farm buildings, interest on working capital,
diesel/electricity for operation of pump sets etc., miscellaneous expenses and
imputed value of family labour.
Farmers
say that the government sets MSP at 1.5 times the Cost of Production (CoP),
where Cop is A2+FL. The Swaminathan Commission, however, suggests that CoP
should be based on C2, proposing the 'C2+50 per cent' formula for setting MSP.
The commission recommended that the MSP should be 1.5 times the farmers’ input
costs.
For the
calculation of input costs, however, the Swaminathan Commission laid down a
different formula. Along with the paid-out cost (A2) and the imputed value of
family labour (FL), also included the interest on the value of owned capital
assets, rent paid for leased-in land, or the rental value of owned land (C2).
Samyukta
Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers’ unions says that the Haryana
Chief Minister had attempted to misguide the farmers by falsely claiming MSP
for 24 crops consciously hiding the fact that the procurement rate is not based
on C2+50% but on the current rate of A2+FL+50%.
How does a
loss occur to the farmers due to A2+FL+50%?
The SKM calculates that the C2+50% rate of paddy, one of the major crops
of Haryana, is Rs.3012/qntl while the current rate (as per A2+FL+50%.) is Rs.
2300/qntl, means less by Rs.712/qntl. Paddy farmers alone in Haryana had a loss
of Rs.3851.90 crore in the year 2023-24.
If we
rely on the calculations by SKM as per C2+50% formula, we can assess how a huge
loss is being burdened on the farmers.
Now
question arises—if the BJP government is so anxious about the farmers’
interests and the claim of the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan, that “The Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi is farmer friendly and agriculture and farmers welfare is
his top priority, has some truth, then why despite unprecedented repression
resorting to on farmers during the 13 months agitation in which 750 agitating
farmers reportedly lost their lives, MSP guarantee is not being legalised as
per farmers’ demand?
And why are
the farmers opposing the BJP party in
Haryana assembly elections?
It is
pertinent to mention here that the Haryana Sanyukta Kisan Morcha has decided to
expose the anti-farmer and anti-people BJP rule during the forthcoming state
assembly elections. In a meeting of the
Morcha a review of the announcements about MSP made recently by Haryana Chief
minister was undertaken and found that these were just election gimmicks to
overcome the anger of farmers and other sections.
The
question still stands, “Have the farmers forgotten the repression resorting to
on farmers during the 13 months agitation in which hundreds of agitating
farmers lost their lives, as stated by SKM?”
Answer
comes in ‘No’. Haryana and Punjab Farmers are still on agitation and a Maha panchayat at new grain market in
Jind’s Uchana Kalan, on September 15,2024, held under the banner of Sanyukt
Kisan Morcha (non-political) pressing for their demands of a legal guarantee
for minimum support price (MSP) on all crops.
While
addressing the congregation, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, as reported
by Hindustan Times website, reminded, “As many farmers had sacrificed their
lives in the farmers’ protest in 2020-21 and 33 farmers died in the ongoing
agitation. Our struggle is not to make MPs or MLAs but to protect the future of
farmers and labourers. We ask you to vote against the party which has used batons
on us,” he added.
Will
someone listen to the screaming voice of the farmers? Or the painful voice, of
the food giver to the country, will remain ignored and suppressed by political
tricks and sticks? Why is the ruling party not heeding towards the resentment
of the farmers? Is it not caring for the vote bank of this aggrieved strata?
However, it is crystal clear that presently the winds blowing over the Haryana
ground do not seem favourable for the BJP. Let us see which way the wind blows
in the coming days. (
======================
PUNJAB TIMES-- 6-9-24--Why the employees’ unions criticizing the newly launched Unified Pension Scheme? Jag Mohan Thaken
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FINANCIAL WORLD--28-9-24------Haryana Election: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC card? Jag MohanThaken
FINANCIAL WORLD--28-9-24------Haryana Election: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC card? Jag MohanThaken
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Haryana Election: Will BJP succeed to sail through the turbulent waters riding on OBC card? Jag MohanThaken
