Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday claimed that the “tukde-tukde gang” was trying to turn the demonstrations by farmers in Delhi into Shaheen Bagh-like protests, PTI reported. “Tukde-tukde gang” is a term coined by the BJP to malign its critics as people working to balkanise India.

“Presence of individuals and groups who opposed [the] National Register of Citizens and CAA [Citizenship Amendment Act] at Shaheen Bagh clearly establishes that the ‘tukde-tukde’ gang is trying to experiment with Shaheen Bagh 2.0 and create unrest under the grab of farmers’ protest,” Tiwari claimed.

Shaheen Bagh in south Delhi had become the hub for the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act before it was forced to shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tiwari, the former chief of the BJP’s Delhi unit, claimed that some protestors among the farmers at the borders of Delhi had shouted slogans in favour of Khalistan and threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This showed that the protests were a “well-planned conspiracy” to create unrest in the country, he claimed.

The BJP leader said he hoped that real farmers would understand the reality and thwart the intentions of the “tukde-tukde” gang. “The conspirators of riots, who had succeeded in Delhi, are preparing to incite nationwide riots in the name of farmers,” he claimed. “It is the responsibility of every citizen of this country to defeat them.”

Before Tiwari, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had on November 28 claimed that his government had received inputs on the presence of Khalistani separatists in the ongoing farmers’ agitation. He, however, did not provide any further details. BJP’s Information Technology Cell head Amit Malviya also on Monday alleged that the ongoing farmers’ protests have “Khalistani and Maoist” links. He too could not provide any evidence to support his allegations.

Farmers, mainly from Haryana and Punjab, are protesting at Delhi’s borders against the Centre agriculture laws for more than a week.

The farmers are protesting against the three ordinances – Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Assurance and Farm Service Ordinance 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 – that were passed in September. They were signed into laws by President Ram Nath Kovind on September 27.

Farmers and traders have alleged that the government wants to discontinue the minimum support price regime in the name of reforms. They fear that the laws will leave them at the mercy of corporate powers. The government has maintained that farm laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.