Farmers Movement Archive

BJP politicising supporter’s death: Charuni

CHANDIGARH: Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni, on Monday, alleged that in an attempt to suppress farmers agitating against the three agricultural laws, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana is politicising the death of its supporter. Bharat Singh of Baragarh village of Ambala district died during BJP’s tractor yatra in Naraingarh on October 14, after which several farmers associated with BKU (Charuni) were booked under murder charges by the Ambala police. Charuni alleged, “As per our sources, BJP had no permission to conduct the tractor yatra in Naraingarh and it was given under the government’s pressure on the same day on October 14, after the incident of Bharat’s death during the rally.” Addressing a press conference at Press Club, Chandigarh on Monday, Charuni said, “Bharat Singh suffered a heart attack during BJP’s tractor yatra and the protesting farmers were not violent with him or anyone else on that day.” Charuni said the permission given by Ambala district administration for BJP’s tractor yatra in Naraingarh did not mention the number of persons allowed for the rally, which is important as per Covid-19 guidelines. Charuni pointed out that one of the conditions of the permission for the tractor rally, point number 13, given to Kurukshetra MP Nayab Saini’s personal secretary, clearly states, “Organisers will be responsible for all types of accidents.” The farm leader decried lodging of a murder case against farmers and alleged that the government politically pressurised the police and Bharat’s family to slap murder charges against them. Charuni said, “BJP MPs, who brought a senior citizen with a history of heart attacks to their rally in which loud music was being played on tractors, should have been booked. Bharat was sitting on the side of the a tractor and loud music was being played on it, which is harmful to a heart patient.” Sources said in the case of Bharat’s death, medical officers at the civil hospital, Naraingarh are yet to make any opinion to highlight the exact cause of death and his viscera has been sent for forensic examination to the state laboratory at Madhuban. The report is awaited. Police have not made any arrests in the case yet. Charuni said, “The viscera has been sent to a forensic laboratory in case of mysterious or poison-related deaths and we have a suspicion that the government may tamper with the forensic and postmortem reports in this case. We demand that the case be investigated by some independent agency having no influence of BJP.” The case has only fuelled the resistance. Charuni said, “We have given a call to farmers and people throughout the state to welcome BJP leaders with black flags in protest against the agriculture laws. Effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be burnt on Dussehra on October 25. With regards to this murder case, a mahapanchayat has been called at the grain market, Ambala Cantt on October 29 and if the government does not cancel the false case registered in Naraingarh, it should be ready to face an intensified protest.”

The Times of India

2020-10-20

Chandigarh