Farmers Movement Archive

MLA assaulted in Punjab, BJP protests in Haryana

AMBALA/CHANDIGARH/ROHTAK/KARNAL: The Haryana BJP on Tuesday held protests in the state, burning effigies of Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and demanding his resignation over last week’s attack on party MLA Arun Narang in Muktsar. They demanded the President’s rule in Punjab and dismissal of the Congress government in Punjab over the law and order situation in the state, saying they will not tolerate such behaviour with its leaders. They also accused the Congress of trying to defame farmers by blaming them for an act committed by its (Congress) workers in Punjab. Narang was allegedly thrashed and his clothes ripped off by a group of protesting farmers at Malout on Saturday. The BJP leaders said Narang’s human rights had been violated in Malout and the officials of Punjab government failed to prevent this incident. Protests were held in Panchkula, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Rohtak and Yamunanagar among other places. In Ambala, BJP’s district president Rajesh Batoura led the protest outside Barara Municipal Council and burnt the effigies of Capt Amarinder and farm leader Sukhdarshan Singh. “Our party will not tolerate indecent behaviour with our party leaders,” he said. Similar protests were held at many other places in Ambala. Kurukshetra district president Raj Kumar Saini, who led a similar protest in the district, accused the Congress of “gundagardi (hooliganism)” in the name of farmers’ movement. “The agitation is not of farmers but of the Congress party and Leftists. They are trying to create unrest in the society and the incident with a BJP leader in Punjab is evidence of hooliganism in the Congress-ruled state. We demand imposition of the President’s rule in India.” In Yamunanagar, MLA Ghanshyam Das Arora and party’s district president Rajesh Sapra led the protest. There were minor incidents of young farmers confronting BJP activists in Bhiwani district and farmers and activists reaching the BJP headquarters by breaching security arrangements. The protest was staged at Committee Chowk in Karnal and Chhotu Ram Chowk in Rohtak. BJP Karnal district president Yogendra Rana said, “Democracy was murdered in Punjab as an elected representative was thrashed in the presence of police force. The incident has exposed the failure of Amarinder-led Congress government in Punjab. Hence, he should resign from his post over the failure of law and order.” In Rohtak, BJP state spokesperson Shamsher Kharak demanded President’s rule in Punjab. Meanwhile, the BJP has given a call against farmers stir on Wednesday, following INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala’s appeal to farmers to teach a lesson to BJP and JJP leaders who enter their villages. Stay away from BJP protest: Charuni to farmers The BKU Haryana (Charuni) state president released a video, urging farmers to stay away from the BJP protest. “The BJP leaders have given a call to protest against the incident with their party leader in Punjab. This could be a conspiracy for clash between farmers and BJP workers,” he appealed.

The Times of India

2021-03-31

Chandigarh