Farmers Movement Archive

BJP’s Abohar legislator thrashed, clothes torn by farmers in Malout

Protesting against agriculture laws, activists of farmer unions allegedly manhandled BJP legislator from Abohar Arun Narang and tore his clothes at Malout town in Muktsar district on Saturday afternoon. Narang reached Malout to address a press conference at BJP’s office. However, farmer unions had laid siege outside the office to hold protest against the three farms laws imposed by the BJP-led central government.Farmers gheraoed Narang when he reached outside the BJP office in his car. They also blackened his car with ink. The farmers allegedly attacked him and tore his clothes, when police personnel and BJP workers were trying to rush him inside a shop. Later, police took him to a safer place through the back door of the shop.BKU (Sidhupur) district president Sukhdev Singh said they had already announced that if any political leader will visit Muktsar district, they will strongly protest against him. “We do not support the incident of tearing clothes of the MLA, but it’s difficult to control a large number of people,” he added.He said that they will continue to protest like this against political leaders in future as well. During the ongoing farmers protest against agri laws, a number of senior BJP leaders including state chief Ashwani Sharma has faced strong protest from the farmers in the past few months.Police have registered an FIR against Lakhan Pal Sharma, Sukhdev Singh, Nirmal Singh, Nanak Singh, Kulwinder Singh Danewala, Rajinder Singh, Avtar Singh and 300 unidentified persons under Sections 307,353,186,188,332,342,506,148 and 149 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Malout police station.Terming the incident an attack on democracy, Narang said: “The stalemate on farm laws is to be resolved in Delhi, attacking me will not help them. The democracy is at its worse in Punjab as an elected representative is not safe, this is a failure of state government,” he added.After the incident Narang was admitted to the Abohar government hospital, where three-member board of doctors inspected him. Narang has only sustained minor injuries.Jakhar condemns attack Chandigarh: Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar has strongly condemned the attack on Arun Narang in Malout saying such unlawful behaviour has no place in a democracy. He said that farmer protests will be weakened with incidents like these. In a statement, Jakhar, while terming the attack as highly unfortunate, said everyone should be allowed to present his views and every citizen should respect each other’s right to speak. No law and order in PunjabJALANDHAR: Former state BJP president, Manoranjan Kalia also condemned the attack on Narang and demanded imposition of President’s rule in Punjab. “Despite police presence, Narang was not only thrashed but his clothes were torn. If an elected representative is not safe, how can a common man feel safe in the state? The law and order has totally collapsed in Punjab,” he said.Meanwhile, BJP national general secretary Tarun chugh demanded the CM’s for his failure to maintain law and order in Punjab.Sukhbir seeks impartial probeChandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) termed the violent attack on Narang as deplorable and demanded an impartial inquiry into the incident to fix responsibility for the failure of the state police in protecting the dignity of an elected representative. The SAD chief appealed to everyone to exercise restraint to ensure the peace and communal harmony of the state was not disturbed. He also castigated the state police for failing to do its duty even as he maintained the Congress government had failed miserably as far as maintaining law and order was concerned. Sukhbir said violence did not have any place in civilized society and that such acts would only serve to weaken the farmers’ agitation. Local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra, food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and school education minister Vijay Inder Singla also condemned attack.

Hindustan Times

28-03-2021

Chandigarh