Opposition Congress on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP over Punjab Police action against protesting farmers, accusing both parties of being “anti-farmer”.
Late Wednesday night, the Punjab police used force to remove the protesting farmers from the Haryana-Punjab border. They detained farmer leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha head Sarvan Singh Pandher.
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The police also used bulldozers to remove the tents and temporary structures erected by farmers near the Haryana border.
Reacting to the police action, senior Congress leader and MP Pramod Tiwari said, “Last night, when farmers were fast asleep, 3,000-4,000 armed policemen used force and bulldozers to remove them (from Haryana – Punjab Shambhu Border), and didn’t even spare the elderly Dallewal who is on a hunger strike.”
Alleging that the AAP and the BJP are anti-farmer, the Congress leader claimed that the action was part of a conspiracy between Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Now, understand the chronology here…First, Bhagwant Mann throws the farmers out of the CM house. Then he goes to meet Home Minister Amit Shah. Then, a conspiracy brews between the two which spills out as yesterday’s oppressive act…,” he stated.
He further added: “Both BJP and AAP are anti-farmer… This was a suicidal step for both as they will drown in Punjab now…”
On Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu’s remarks that the Punjab police action was aimed at derailing the talks between the Centre and farmers, the Congress leader said, “Talks have been going on for four to five years. What happened to the MSP promise? A natural alliance has been formed between the two anti-farmer parties…”
Earlier, Bittu had condemned the action against farmers, saying “They (the AAP government) did not want a solution to be found through talks between the central government and the farmers. You detained farmers just to win the Ludhiana West by-election.”
