BJP's cup of woes filled to the brim over farmers' protests

From Award Wapasi to regional parties' call for coming together in the name of federalism, the on-going protest over new farm laws could be a major political challenge for the BJP, especially at a time when it is betting big on the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls and prepares for elections in three more states.

After SAD leader Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa returned their Padma awards, India's first Olympic medallist in boxing Vijender Singh on Sunday threatened to return his Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

Others, who made similar announcements are former national boxing coach Gurbaksh Singh, who announced returning his Dronacharya Award, and also the winners of Bhartiya Sahitya Akademi Award in Punjabi Sirmour Shire Dr Mohanji, eminent thinker Dr Jaswinder Singh and Punjabi playwright and editor of Punjabi Tribune Swarajbir.

As the media went viral with the news about the 'boxer' Vijender, BJP general secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh reminded Vijendra had contested elections on Congress ticket earlier.

"Whole of media projecting it as boxer Vijender Singh in support of farmer agitation . Also, mention that he contested LS elections on @INCIndia ticket. Convenient deletion of details," Santosh tweeted hours after the boxer turned Congress leader made an appearance at Delhi's Singhu border where farmers have been protesting against the laws and said he would return his Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award if the Central government does not withdraw the new farm laws.

Five former sportspersons from Punjab--- Arjuna awardees Rajbir Kaur and Gurmail Singh, who played hockey, former wrestler Kartar Singh, ex-boxer Jaipal Singh and Dhyan Chand Award winner Ajit Singh also joined the protest at Singhu border on Sunday.

More than the award wapsi, the greater challenge for BJP is the ability of the farmer issue in galvanising the Opposition together, with the agitation building bridges beyond caste and community lines and reviving the Opposition campaign on federal rights.

While Rahul Gandhi is trying to build a 'farmer OBC Dalit' axis, SAD MP Prem Singh Chandumajra after his meeting with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday raised the issue of Central government's interference in state governments' rights in education, agriculture and law and order.

Follow live updates on the farmers' protest here

It is more than a week since Delhi Chalo farmers' protest began and the stalemate between the government and the protesting farmers continues even after five rounds of talks as the government stares at a Bharat Bandh backed by Opposition parties on December 8 on this issue.

Chandumajra stressed there is a need for regional parties to unite against attempts to centralise the country's politics because if states are weak, the country will be weaker. "Even Uddhav Thackeray is of the view that rights of states need to be protected," he said.

The two former NDA allies, who quit Modi government in the last one year, talking of the coming together of regional parties at a time when most regional parties including TMC, DMK, AAP and RJD have already extended support to Bharat Bandh and are raising the temperature on farm issue is not a welcome development for BJP, which has burnt its fingers at least twice in past over farm issues.

The first time the Modi government had to go back on its decision was in 2015 after it tried to bring changes in the 2013 Land Acquisition Act passed by the UPA that kicked up a political strom and nationwide protests. Again it was on the backfoot after the killing of six farmers in a police firing in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh in 2018 after which it lost the Assembly polls in the state next year.

In West Bengal, where the BJP is betting big, Mamata Banerjee had come to power in 2011 ending the 34-year-rule of CPI-M by launching a fierce farmers' agitation in Nandigram and Singur. As the farmers' protest began last week, Mamata was quick to sense the mood and immediately declared her support to the farmers. Farm issue is a sensitive issue in rural Bengal.

NCP leader Sharad Pawar has also cautioned the Centre that if the deadlock continues, the agitation would no longer be a Delhi centric affair and will be joined by people elsewhere in the country as well.