Meghalaya Governor calls on farmers to “unite” and “vote for change” in Lok Sabha elections

Meghalaya Governor Satyapal Malik on Sunday called on the farmers to “get united” and “vote for a change” in the next Lok Sabha elections due in two years, adding that they should stop holding agitations and acquire power. Mr. Malik said he would travel across North India after his tenure as Governor ends in next six months urging farmers to get united.

“The elections (Lok Sabha elections) are just two years away. If you vote together, those in power in Delhi will run away. It will be the farmers’ regime, and then you need not seek anything from anyone,” said Mr. Malik, speaking at a function organised by Kandela and Majra Khaps at Haryana’s Jind to honour him.

Mr. Malik, a vocal supporter of the farmers’ agitation against the three contentious farm laws, “requested” the farmers to “stop sitting on the roads and holding agitations”, and instead get united and acquire power.

He said those in power thought that the farmers were “beggars” and did not give them right price for their crops. “Stay united, form your own government. People will beg you, you need not beg anyone,” said Mr. Malik.

He said he had no longing for big posts and was ready to quit as Governor in support of the farmers’ movement, but a Minister in Delhi advised him to continue raising his voice for the farmers and not quit till the time he was directed to. “My friends told me to keep mum on the farmers agitation issue. They said that I could be the next President or Vice-President, if I kept mum. But I told them that these posts have no value for me,” said Mr. Malik.

He said that even a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to withdraw the three farm laws, he had warned that the farmers’ agitation would have serious political implications. “Either good sense prevailed on him (the Prime Minister) or someone advised him, and he announced to withdraw the laws the next day,” said Mr. Malik.

He, however, said that the withdrawal of the farm laws was “incomplete” and the larger question of right price for the farmers produce was left hanging. Mr. Malik added it was not a new question and had remained unanswered since the times of Chaudhary Chhotu Ram, a legendary farmers’ leader.

Unlike earlier occasions, Mr. Malik refrained from making any direct comments on Mr. Modi, putting the blame on the media for creating a controversy around it. He said he had travelled across Western UP and the Ministers were not even allowed inside the villages for election campaign.

Mr. Malik said he had sent the recommendation for the abrogation of Article 370 and taken the responsibility that there would be no violence in the region. “All leaders were arrested and sent to jail. No one raised a voice,” he said.

Mr. Malik was earlier slated to attend a Khap Mahapanchayat in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri in January this year, but he had skipped the event.