"AAP, BJP have no faith in democracy": Ashok Gehlot on detention of farmers in Punjab

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], March 20 : Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab over the detention of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, saying that AAP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have "no faith" in democracy.
He said that the farmers were protesting once again because the central government failed to fulfil their demands and the promises it made regarding the grant of legislation on Minimum Support Price (MSP).
"AAP and BJP have no faith in democracy. The farmers protest is the world's largest protest. They sat on the streets for over two years earlier. We cannot image what they and their families must have felt. The governments don't realise this. They (farmers) concluded the protests after the Prime Minister talked to them after a year. However, the government didn't fulfil promises which led farmers to protest again," Gehlot told reporters.
He asserted that farmers must remain the top priority while adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have made a law on MSP as soon as he came to power because he used to demand the same from the Manmohan Singh government as the Gujarat CM.
"The farmers must be a top priority. Regardless of party line, everyone talks about farmers, but who is fulfilling their demands? Prime Minister Modi used to say in his capacity as Gujarat CM that the Manmohan Singh government should make a law on MSP. He should have done the same as soon as he became the Prime Minister," Gehlot added.
As the Centre continues to hold talks with the farmers in Punjab, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu slammed the Bhagwant Mann government in the state over the detention of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, saying that the people of Punjab would "not allow" the Chief Minister to enter any village.
Accusing Mann of working at Kejriwal's behest, he alleged the Punjab CM was "putting farmers at stake" to remain in power.
"Tu (Mann) sirf Kejriwal de ishareya te nachda (You only do what Kejriwal says). You put the entire Punjab and farmers at stake just to remain in power. You'll see that nothing will happen to Kejriwal, but the people of Punjab will not allow you to enter any village," Bittu said.
Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab over the "arrest" of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, who remain firm on various demands, including legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops.
Several farmer leaders were detained by the police, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who remains on an indefinite fast, and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher.
Farmer leader and national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Rakesh Tikait, condemned the Punjab government's action and said, "On one hand, the government is negotiating with the farmer organisations and on the other hand, it is arresting them."