Friday, March 29, 2024

Farmers’ protest was a political stunt to win UP, admits Yogendra Yadav

Was farmers’ protest a strategy to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the assembly elections? It would appear so by the admission of one of its instigators, Yogendra Yadav, terming it as a “chunavi andolan.”

Speaking to Ravish Kumar on NDTV, Yadav is heard admitting that he and Rakesh Tikait had created a conducive pitch to topple the BJP by organising the farmers’ movement. But it was the political parties who couldn’t make the most of it. 

Said Yadav: “Rakesh Tikait and I toured the entire UP. But remember, we are not the players. Our work was like that of the pitch roller, we laid a conducive pitch for the fast bowlers and seamers but bowling is not our job.”

As per Yadav, the entire Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) made a strategy ahead of the UP elections with an eye to “punish” the BJP. Ravish Kumar interrupts at this stage and says Tikait had himself said that they won’t allow the “HIndu-Muslim match” to be played this time. 

“I’m not sure who benefited the most from this, but some of our friends ‘got down to the field without pads’ (unprepared). We said it’s not our job to bat or ball; our job is to prepare the pitch… we can tilt (manipulate) the pitch a little, which we did.” 

In another segment from the same show, Yogendra Yadav admitted that the ‘farmers’ protest was more of a political stunt than an organic protest for farmers’ rights. He said that they are not connected to the people who ball and bat, their work is to solely prepare the pitch, as was the case in West Bengal also.  Yadav went on to say that in Bengal, they went door to door urging people to vote against the BJP. “We laid the groundwork, but that does not take away credit from the Trinamool Congress party, which played brilliantly. We did the same thing in Uttar Pradesh…we can only prepare the pitch, but the players must play”, he said.

Read More

Ukraine rapidly losing ground, says ex French general

Moscow has forced Kiev to choose between losing men or territory, according to retired French General Jerome Pellistrandi, the editor-in-chief of the Revue Defense...
Support Us
Contribute to see NewsBred grow. And rejoice that your input has made it possible.