Relations between the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies like the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Telugu Desam Party and the Shiv Sena have been under strain for the past several months now. The BJP and the Akali Dal in Punjab have been openly sniping at each other, giving rise to speculation that the two may part company before the next assembly elections. Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal warned the BJP about its attitude towards its coalition partners at a recent meeting, stating that its policies had created fissures in the state.
The Akali Dal leadership has become more vocal in its criticisms after it won the recent Dhurie bypoll and its resounding success in the civic polls. The party is feeling more confident now as it is no longer dependent on the BJP in the Punjab Assembly and is optimistic of coming back to power two years from now when assembly elections are held.
Taking a cue from his party leader, Akali Dal’s Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral hit out at the BJP in an interview to Scroll.in, in which he accused the saffron outfit of being arrogant and treating its allies shabbily.
There is a view that the NDA government has lost its sheen even before it has completed one year in office. Do you agree?
To a large extent, it is the ground reality. One reason is the fringe elements in the Sangh Parivar which keep disturbing the peace of a secular state. And two, there is a talent deficit in the government.
As a minority party, we strongly believe that minorities are as much part of the country as others and it is the task of the government to make them feel safe and secure. When fringe elements of the Sangh Parivar make irresponsible statements, it disturbs our party. You cannot rule a country the size of India by ignoring 30% of the population. Make in India will be a pipe dream if there is social tension on the streets. Communal harmony has to be preserved at all costs. We are heartened by what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said abroad in this regard but we hope the BJP leadership will also take stern action against those who make such statements, even if they are members of the Parivar.
There are distinct signs of tension between the Bharatiya Janata Party and your party, the Shiromani Akali Dal.
Why signs. Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has openly spoken about this tension between the two parties. He has objected to the BJP’s interference in the affairs of the Sikh Panth and warned that this will lead to problems in Punjab. This is just one issue but the local BJP is constantly needling us. Our leadership has been very patient till now and treated them with kid gloves but their patience is wearing thin and they are getting agitated. We feel the role played by the Akali Dal in getting the NDA [National Democratic Alliance] to power has been given short shrift. Look at the portfolio given to our party. It’s extremely, extremely lightweight. We have also not been accommodated in key parliamentary committees. There’s a certain arrogance of power being displayed by the BJP. Maybe because they feel they have got a majority in the Lok Sabha. It is not just the Akali Dal but all allies feel they are not being given due respect. It is early days yet but it is also true that resentment is building up.
Is it true that the allies were not consulted before the government amended the land bill and promulgated an ordinance?
Yes, that’s correct. The land bill is such an important legislation and directly concerns the state of Punjab, which is largely agricultural. But we were not even consulted about the changes in the bill. We were called in for our views barely two hours before the bill was presented in the Lok Sabha. We could have given worthwhile suggestions. The Punjab model of land acquisition has been very successful. Thousands of acres of land have been acquired over the last eight years without any tension. Farmers are happy as they feel the state has given them their due. What does the farmer want? He wants that his consent should be taken before his land is acquired and that he should get fair compensation. We make sure the farmer is paid the compensation straightaway, without any delay. In cases where we have acquired large portions of land, we have also undertaken a social impact assessment within a given time-frame. We told the BJP we would only support the land bill if state governments were allowed to have their own laws. We agreed to the amended bill only after our demand was met.
But the fundamental issue is why did this situation arise. There is arrogance in the BJP, their floor management is extremely poor and they have failed to accept that they do not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha. And how did the BJP get a majority in the Lok Sabha? We fought their battles for them. Whenever Narendra Modi was attacked, we countered by hitting back at the Congress by saying it was also communal given its role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Don’t forget, both the Akali Dal and the Telugu Desam Party are seen as secular outfits. In a way, we gave them respectability. And now they are totally ignoring us.
Coming back to the land bill, do you agree that there is a public perception that this legislation is anti-farmer and is being brought to help the corporate?
Yes, that’s right. There is a perception that the land bill is anti-farmer. However, this is not the reality. Today agriculture contributes 15% to the country’s GDP while 65% of the population is dependent on it. There’s obviously a mismatch. There is a need to provide alternate employment for them. A state like Punjab realised that it has to industrialise rapidly. It is the need of the hour.
What about the land bill passed by the United Progressive Alliance government. Was there any need to amend it?
The fact is that the land bill enacted by the previous UPA government was far too convoluted. Not a single acre of land could have been acquired with this bill in place. It is true that it was backed by all political parties. But this support was given for political purposes. Everybody accepted the legislation as elections were round the corner.
But do you think the promulgation of an ordinance was justified?
If you ask me, it defies logic. I do not understand the need for promulgating an ordinance particularly when the BJP does not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha. In the process, they have united the opposition and given artificial respiration to the Congress.
Do you think it is a good move to push ahead with the land bill at a time when there is a serious agrarian crisis in the country?
The government has to show sensitivity to the farmer. The Punjab chief minister has drawn the Centre’s attention to their problems. Today, the farmers need far more help than what has been given to them. It does not matter if the fiscal deficit goes up but the farmer must be provided succour. His loans must be restructured, this year’s loans must be written off and a bonus must be given on the MSP [minimum support price] as the yield has dropped drastically. India has never faced such a farm crisis since the Green Revolution.
As for the passage of the land bill, the government should see the writing on the wall. It is in no position to pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha or call a joint session of Parliament. If the government is really serious about this bill, it should send it to a select committee, thrash out all the issues and thereafter, if any political parties disagree, they will be exposed. Meanwhile, they should put your case before the people. When farmers are in distress, they are not going to be in a mood to listen to you about the land bill. It makes them more insecure.
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The Akali Dal leadership has become more vocal in its criticisms after it won the recent Dhurie bypoll and its resounding success in the civic polls. The party is feeling more confident now as it is no longer dependent on the BJP in the Punjab Assembly and is optimistic of coming back to power two years from now when assembly elections are held.
Taking a cue from his party leader, Akali Dal’s Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral hit out at the BJP in an interview to Scroll.in, in which he accused the saffron outfit of being arrogant and treating its allies shabbily.
There is a view that the NDA government has lost its sheen even before it has completed one year in office. Do you agree?
To a large extent, it is the ground reality. One reason is the fringe elements in the Sangh Parivar which keep disturbing the peace of a secular state. And two, there is a talent deficit in the government.
As a minority party, we strongly believe that minorities are as much part of the country as others and it is the task of the government to make them feel safe and secure. When fringe elements of the Sangh Parivar make irresponsible statements, it disturbs our party. You cannot rule a country the size of India by ignoring 30% of the population. Make in India will be a pipe dream if there is social tension on the streets. Communal harmony has to be preserved at all costs. We are heartened by what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said abroad in this regard but we hope the BJP leadership will also take stern action against those who make such statements, even if they are members of the Parivar.
There are distinct signs of tension between the Bharatiya Janata Party and your party, the Shiromani Akali Dal.
Why signs. Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has openly spoken about this tension between the two parties. He has objected to the BJP’s interference in the affairs of the Sikh Panth and warned that this will lead to problems in Punjab. This is just one issue but the local BJP is constantly needling us. Our leadership has been very patient till now and treated them with kid gloves but their patience is wearing thin and they are getting agitated. We feel the role played by the Akali Dal in getting the NDA [National Democratic Alliance] to power has been given short shrift. Look at the portfolio given to our party. It’s extremely, extremely lightweight. We have also not been accommodated in key parliamentary committees. There’s a certain arrogance of power being displayed by the BJP. Maybe because they feel they have got a majority in the Lok Sabha. It is not just the Akali Dal but all allies feel they are not being given due respect. It is early days yet but it is also true that resentment is building up.
Is it true that the allies were not consulted before the government amended the land bill and promulgated an ordinance?
Yes, that’s correct. The land bill is such an important legislation and directly concerns the state of Punjab, which is largely agricultural. But we were not even consulted about the changes in the bill. We were called in for our views barely two hours before the bill was presented in the Lok Sabha. We could have given worthwhile suggestions. The Punjab model of land acquisition has been very successful. Thousands of acres of land have been acquired over the last eight years without any tension. Farmers are happy as they feel the state has given them their due. What does the farmer want? He wants that his consent should be taken before his land is acquired and that he should get fair compensation. We make sure the farmer is paid the compensation straightaway, without any delay. In cases where we have acquired large portions of land, we have also undertaken a social impact assessment within a given time-frame. We told the BJP we would only support the land bill if state governments were allowed to have their own laws. We agreed to the amended bill only after our demand was met.
But the fundamental issue is why did this situation arise. There is arrogance in the BJP, their floor management is extremely poor and they have failed to accept that they do not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha. And how did the BJP get a majority in the Lok Sabha? We fought their battles for them. Whenever Narendra Modi was attacked, we countered by hitting back at the Congress by saying it was also communal given its role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Don’t forget, both the Akali Dal and the Telugu Desam Party are seen as secular outfits. In a way, we gave them respectability. And now they are totally ignoring us.
Coming back to the land bill, do you agree that there is a public perception that this legislation is anti-farmer and is being brought to help the corporate?
Yes, that’s right. There is a perception that the land bill is anti-farmer. However, this is not the reality. Today agriculture contributes 15% to the country’s GDP while 65% of the population is dependent on it. There’s obviously a mismatch. There is a need to provide alternate employment for them. A state like Punjab realised that it has to industrialise rapidly. It is the need of the hour.
What about the land bill passed by the United Progressive Alliance government. Was there any need to amend it?
The fact is that the land bill enacted by the previous UPA government was far too convoluted. Not a single acre of land could have been acquired with this bill in place. It is true that it was backed by all political parties. But this support was given for political purposes. Everybody accepted the legislation as elections were round the corner.
But do you think the promulgation of an ordinance was justified?
If you ask me, it defies logic. I do not understand the need for promulgating an ordinance particularly when the BJP does not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha. In the process, they have united the opposition and given artificial respiration to the Congress.
Do you think it is a good move to push ahead with the land bill at a time when there is a serious agrarian crisis in the country?
The government has to show sensitivity to the farmer. The Punjab chief minister has drawn the Centre’s attention to their problems. Today, the farmers need far more help than what has been given to them. It does not matter if the fiscal deficit goes up but the farmer must be provided succour. His loans must be restructured, this year’s loans must be written off and a bonus must be given on the MSP [minimum support price] as the yield has dropped drastically. India has never faced such a farm crisis since the Green Revolution.
As for the passage of the land bill, the government should see the writing on the wall. It is in no position to pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha or call a joint session of Parliament. If the government is really serious about this bill, it should send it to a select committee, thrash out all the issues and thereafter, if any political parties disagree, they will be exposed. Meanwhile, they should put your case before the people. When farmers are in distress, they are not going to be in a mood to listen to you about the land bill. It makes them more insecure.