Farmers Movement Archive

Punjab: Cattle-dung thrown at former BJP minister Tikshan Sud’s gate

HOSHIARPUR: A group of farmers threw cattle-dung at the gate of former BJP minister Tikshan Sud’s residence over his reportedly derogatory remarks that people were "going to Delhi borders for a picnic". When Sud and some other BJP workers challenged the protesters who were carrying black flags and tried to stop the tractor-trolley on which the cattle-dung was brought, police officials intervened. Sud facing flak for making remarks against farmersPolice later registered a case against the protesters for attempt to murder and house trespass with intention to cause hurt as well as other offences and got the place cleaned. A language daily had attributed a statement to Sood in which he was quoted as saying that "most of the farmers were not even aware of the farm laws and most people were going there on a picnic while the protest was being funded from abroad". He was also quoted as saying that those protesting were not farmers. Sood had been facing flak for this alleged statement on social media and protesters on Friday cited this statement as a reason for their protest. However, when asked on Friday about the allegations levelled by the protesters about his "picnic" statement, Sood said his remarks had been twisted. "How can I say the protesters are going to a picnic when I am myself a farmer. Those who came to my place were not farmers but mischievous elements and they also raised slogans of Khalistan," he said. The entire incident was captured on camera, but such slogans are not audible in the available videos. Police registered a case under various Indian Penal Code sections as the complainant alleged that the protesters tried to attack the BJP workers, run them over with the tractortrailer and also tried to attack with weapons. However, the video only showed protesters carrying black flags. The FIR says that Dal Khalsa leader Ranbir Singh was driving the tractor and he was later detained by police. While Ranbir has been named in the FIR, others remain unidentified and police raided residences of some Dal Khalsa activists. Later in the evening Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma visited Sood’s residence and said that some mischievous elements were involved in the incident in the name of farmers’ agitation and wanted to spoil the atmosphere of the state. He said the incident also exposed the hollowness of Punjab CM’s claim that the law and order situation was fine.

The Times of India

2021-01-02

Chandigarh