Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)], compared Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to Duryodhana and Dushyasana from the mythological tale of Mahabharat, respectively on Friday, November 30.
In his address at Jantar Mantar at the farmers’ march, Yechury also said that the government would be pressured to agree to farmers’ demand for two bills—reasonable price for their produce and to provide debt relief—to be passed.
Opening his speech by thanking farmers, Yechury said, “We are indebted to the farmers. We will put pressure so that the two bills are passed.” Taking a barb at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) high-handed way of functioning, Yechury invoked the name of Bhagat Singh, who he said had exploded a bomb in a High Court only to make the government hear his cause.
#FarmersMarch: We are near the place where Bhagat Singh was arrested. He exploded a bomb to make the British hear. If this government doesn’t listen to our demands. @SitaramYechury
— NewsCentral24x7 (@nc24x7) November 30, 2018
“We have something more powerful than a bomb. We will remove this government. Modi, BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has only one Brahmastra. They start taking Ram’s name,” commented Yechury, adding that the BJP conveniently forgot the similarities it shares with the Mahabharat.
Yechury said that much like the Kauravas who repeated that five Pandavas could not defeat 101 Kauravas, Modi, too, arrogantly kept saying that no one could defeat him. “But who knows Kauravas other than just two names. Similarly, BJP claims they are a big powerful party but we know only Modi and Amit Shah. And like Kauravs they too will be defeated,” stated Yechury.
#FarmersMarch: But who knows kauravs other than just two names.
Similarly bjp claims they are a big powerful party but we know only Modi and Amit Shah. And like kauravs they too will be defeated @SitaramYechury— NewsCentral24x7 (@nc24x7) November 30, 2018
The CPI (M) leader assured the farmers that not only the BJP government, but any party which would potentially replace the BJP in 2019, and which did not heed their cause would be replaced. He said, “Modi made many promises – loan waiver and Minimum Support Price (MSP). But what has happened in the last four years? Any government that replaces BJP, we will be wary of them as well. If they don’t follow through we will replace them.”
Winding down his speech, Yechury recounted an anecdote—about a pickpocket—and made another comparison to Modi. “(I) will tell one story. About a pocket maar (pickpocket). Pocket maar is also pm you see. A farmer was returning home on a bus. The conductor asked him to buy a ticket. He realised his wallet was stolen. He was feeling helpless. One kind soul helped him. In today’s era, who is this “kind soul”? It’s the pocket maar, the PM. He is the one who loots and pretends to help,” taunted Yechury, before finishing with one last retort, “Remember, pocket maar doesn’t loot alone. He always has an accomplice. As does Modi.”