Protesting for farmers’ rights, says BJP leader Yashwant Sinha

Mumbai, Dec 5 (IANS) BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, who was detained a day ago for holding a demonstration in Akola in Maharashtra, said his protest was purely for the rights of farmers and there was no political meaning to it.

Sinha was detained by police on Monday evening along with around 250 farmers.

"We had declared if our demands are not met within 24 hours, we will take a ‘morcha’ to the Collector’s office… We offered arrest. We were all brought to the police headquarters… unless our demands are met, we are not going anywhere," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader told NDTV.

"The SP and collector were here. There was no satisfactory resolution. The administration is not ready to specify whether we are still detained or arrested. We are in the police lines," he said.

He also said there hasn’t been a conversation with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. "None of us tried to reach each other."

He also said he did not want to be diverted from the farmer issues, which he said, "is the biggest issue".

"Nothing to do with politics, religion or caste. It’s pure and simple farmer issues."