New Delhi: While Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Rajya Sabha on Monday drew out a response from some farmer leaders saying they were willing to come back to the table provided the government give them a date, many farmers protesting at the borders of Delhi have taken offense at his remarks and specifically, his coining of the term "andolanjeevi". Many farmers have called PM Modi's remarks "manipulative" and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, in a press note, issued on Monday evening, called it "insulting".
Ramleen Kaur, an activist who has been part of the protest and comes from the family of farmers said that the government does not want to acknowledge the problem and to coin a term to manipulate the narrative.
"When our PM does not want to acknowledge or solve a problem he gives it a name, be it now or anytime else. On one hand people want to keep religion out of this protest but then the PM says that the Sikh community has given so many sacrifices and that they have given so much life for this nation.
"But we have rarely seen Sikh people fighting for their rights and when they do, his party members call them Khalistani or terrorists and manipulate the narrative. This government passed these bills and we very clearly don't need them, I don't understand what is stopping Modi ji from taking these bills back," she said.
Meanwhile, the SKM said, "Farmers would like to remind the PM that it is andolans that have liberated India from colonial rulers and that is why we are proud to be andolanjivi. It is the BJP and it's predecessors that had never did any andolan against Britishers and they were always against the andolans, they are still scared of public movements." They also pointed out that farmers would be more than happy to get back to farming if the government at least now accepts their legitimate demands, and that "it is the Government's adamant attitude that is creating more andolan jeevis".
Rajveer Singh another protester, who hails from Punjab's Ludhiana, at Singhu Border said that the statements made by the prime minister were vague.
"His statements were empty and had no value. Even his statements on MSP were like an empty can. We as farmers are aware about what we want. How can a person who himself has never done any farming know why we are here? His statements calling us aandolan jeevi are of course offensive but we will not pay any attention to it. Having said that the people should now be aware how he twists everything to show those who are taking a stand in the wrong," he said.
Singh also said that the prime minister saying this is disappointing. "Everyday a farmer is dying away from home, and this is what our prime minister says. We all know about the mindset this government holds but to hear it everyday is making us more determined to not leave from here. We will keep protesting as long as it takes," he said.