NEW DELHI: The new Minister for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi showcased her picturesque language on Thursday when she described protesting farmers as 'mawalis' at a press conference.
A minister, who will be expected to use a nuanced language in diplomatic circles, was anything but mellow. "Don't describe them as farmers, they are ‘mawali.’ The country knows what happened on January 26," said the BJP MP from New Delhi constituency.
There had been subtle attempts to run down the farmers and rubbish their movement earlier, too, but few would have described them as hoodlums or ruffians. Even as the Congress reacted sharply to the abuse, Lekhi claimed that the farmers' agitation had a political agenda and this was exposed on January 26 when some of the farmers went on a violent spree in the national capital and even mounted their flag at the Red Fort.
Trinamool MP Derek O’ Brien hit out at Meenakshi and said: “You can say anything at BJP press conferences. People, when they vote, will bring you down.”