On Farmers' Day 2020, the Mumbai unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) urged Maharashtra's ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition members to "clarify their stance on the farm bills". This, the party said, was in context of the "puzzling protests" yesterday where the MVA allegedly "seemed to be protecting the central government as well as Ambani-Adani Inc".
In a press release, the AAP highlighted the "startling move" with which Nagpur Police detained MVA's own minister Bachu Kadu.
"Either the MVA is so much for the farm bills that it won't stop at arresting its own ministers, or Uddhav Thackeray has zero control over Nagpur Police which seems to still be taking orders from the RSS Headquarters," the AAP release stated.
The AAP also accused the Mumbai Police of "protecting" the offices of Ambani and Adani from being demonstrated against over the contentious agricultural laws
"The protesters were not allowed to even reach the venue of the protest!" the release stated, calling the developing "shocking".
AAP leader Preeti Sharma Menon said, "Raju Shetti has said that the Thackerays seem to be working for Ambani-Adani. Does that mean Mr Shetti will now decline the MLC position in the Thackeray Government? I don't think so."
She added, "It's lamentable that farmer leaders of Maharashtra sacrifice farmers interests to gain MLA/MP positions and other favors from any party that is power, there is zero adherence to ideology or values. That is why Maharashtra farmers suffer the most."
Notably, the AAP statement highlighted that the Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Delhi has passed a resolution to reject the farm laws.
"If the MVA is clear about opposing these bills then they should likewise categorically pass a resolution. If they fail to do so it only proves they are hand in glove with BJP and the corporates," said Dhananjay Shinde, Maharashtra State Secretary.
"Aam Aadmi Party is concerned that today we have a government that is so pro-corporates that it is failing to stand with farmers. We condemn MVA's ambivalence and demand it to clarify its stance," the AAP statement concluded.
