Condemning the Republic Day violence in Delhi, especially at the Red Fort, Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, on Wednesday said the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s controversial farm laws has now gone out of control of its leaders and has deviated from its direction.

He has also appealed the farmers to return to their homes after yesterday’s sad incident. The CM said this after a special meeting of Haryana Cabinet convened late evening yesterday after the incidents occurred on the occasion of Republic Day.

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He said that the whole Cabinet is unanimous that people of the state together fail the nefarious intentions of antisocial elements and cooperate in maintaining peace and harmony in the country and the state.

Khattar said no Indian can tolerate hoisting of flag other than national flag at the Red Fort. Doing so is an insult to those great freedom fighters and martyrs who sacrificed their lives so that the tricolor could fly high on the ramparts of the Red Fort. Our freedom fighters did not earn freedom for us to spread such anarchy, he added.

The CM said farmers’ organizations had given firm assurances for a peaceful protest in Delhi but this incident has proved that the leadership of this protest has gone into the hands of those who have a difference between their words and deeds.

Therefore, now the farmers should think deeply about which direction this protest is going, he said adding that in democracy there is enough scope to resolve differences. He said that all kinds of differences can be resolved through mutual dialogue.

Meanwhile, the CM said the present state government is committed to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of doubling the income of farmers by 2022.

Addressing the gathering after unfurling the national flag on the occasion of 72th Republic Day at Panchkula on 26 January, the CM said Haryana is the only State in the Country where nine crops are being procured on Minimum Support Price (MSP).

He said that apart from wheat and rice, the state government is also procuring other crops like bajra, cotton, maize, groundnuts, moong etc on MSP.

The CM said that the present state government has evolved a system under which farmers are being paid directly into their bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system and added that farmers in the State are satisfied with this new system.