ITANAGAR, Oct 7: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has condemned the lathi-charge on protesting farmers at the Delhi-Utaar Pradesh boundary on 2 October.
The farmers were staging the protest against the alleged apathy of the Narendra Modi government towards the farming community. They were marching towards the national capital to place their demands for loan waiver and fair prices for crops – a poll promise made by Modi.
“The protest march was in fact a reminder to the poll promises made by Modi. But, instead of fulfilling their demands, the BJP government caned the peaceful protestors and used water cannon, tear gas shells on them to suppress the voice of the farming community,” APCC spokesperson Mina Toko said.
“Is this the way the BJP honours the Father of the Nation on his birth anniversary?” questioned the APCC.
“Such intransigent fascist reaction of Prime Minister Modi itself is giving a wake-up call to the farmers in India to revolt against the anti-farmer BJP government,” the party said.
Meanwhile, the Arunachal Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee (APMCC) has expressed shock at the news of strip-searching of women participants during a political rally of national BJP president Amit Shah at Bhilai Charoda district in Chhattisgarh recently.
In a press statement, APMCC president Nabam Yakum said the women participants were asked to take off their clothes to ensure that they did not carry black flags inside the venue.
“This was not the first such incident where women were manhandled, thrashed and embarrassed. It has become habit of Amit Shah to disrespect and disgrace women’s dignity,” said the APMCC president.
She said the BJP leaders were “suffering from melanophobia, as women with black blouses, undergarments, and scarf are being harassed and beaten.
“Such is the BJP’s so-called women empowerment,” the APMCC said, and mocked the party’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ slogan.