Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker Poonam Mahajan sparked a controversy on Monday. 12 March, when she claimed that thousands of protesting farmers in Maharashtra were motivated by “urban maoists”.
She was talking to News18 when she said, “They are holding the flags of communists and they are being misguided is 100 percent sure.”
The MP from Mumbai North Central said it was the responsibility of the BJP-led Maharashtra government to sit with the protesters, who were being "captured" by Maoists, to solve their problems.
"Sadly, tribals have been captured by the Maoists and their centre is in Pune. The government can do a lot for them, but the (Maoists') ideology is stopping them. We have seen urban Maoists in many cities of India. They go to districts which are called Maoists affected areas," Mahajan told reporters outside Parliament.
"Maoists are misguiding them (the farmers). It is the responsibility of the Maharashtra government to sit with the farmers and sort out the problem," she said.
Azad Maidan turned into a sea of red on Monday morning with thousands of farmers carrying red flags converging after walking around 180 km from neighbouring Nashik district for six days.
The farmers, who banded together under the Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), called off their protest after Chief Minister Fadnavis assured on 12 March that he would implement within 6 months the farmers’ demand for ownership of land.
Hitting out at Mahajan, CPI(M) leader MB Rajesh said, "The Kisan Sabha is leading the rally. One can see the posters, banners and flags. I am scared the BJP may also call them anti-nationals."
A tweet from the official page slammed Mahajan’s comments and said, “ These are the people who feed the nation. But yes they also have the power to bring down arrogant, out-of-touch corporate agents like you and your party!”
Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray also criticised Mahajan’s comments in his tweet and said, “They are farmers who need to be heard. It’s unfortunate to be insensitive to those who feed us and put ideological cages on them.”
The main demand on the farmers' list included an unconditional loan waiver and transfer of forest land to tribal farmers who have been tilling it for years.
Mahajan’s comments come after CM Fadnavis told the Parliament that most of the protesters are tribals and hence cannot be strictly called farmers, reported NDTV.
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