Farmers’ stir: BJP, JJP leaders demand a fair probe into lathicharge on protesters in Kurukshetra
After the Congress and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) condemned the lathicharge on farmers in Kurukshetra’s Pipli on Thursday, many leaders of the ruling BJP-JJP government have come out in support of the protesters and demanded a fair probe into the incident.
Former finance minister and senior BJP leader Captain Abhimanyu tweeted: “I was very disappointed after seeing the pictures from Kurukshetra where police restored to lathicharge on farmers. I hope Haryana chief minister and home minister will solve this issue.”
BJP’s Hisar MP Brijendra Singh said farmers have the right to raise their own issues and that he was ‘disappointed with the Kurukshetra episode’. “ I condemn the attack on farmers by police, who resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob in wake of Covid-19. I hope a thorough probe will be done and the government will resolve the issue after talking to farmers,” he said.
Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Om Prakash Dhankar described the police action as uncalled for. “The police and the administration should have exercised restraint,” he said.
Dhankar also chastised the farmers, saying they should have given preference to dialogue instead of confrontation to resolve the matter. He said the rumours about the government stopping MSP and closing grain markets were baseless and that the state will procure every grain.
He has also constituted a three-member committee comprising Bhiwani MP Dharambir, Kurukshetra MP Nayab Saini, and Hisar MP Brijender Singh to hold talks with the farmers.
The Jannayak Janata party’s Badhra MLA Naina Chautala, her son Digvijay Singh Chautala and Barwala MLA Jogi Ram Sihag also condemned the attack on farmers and demanded a probe into the incident.
Wrestler Bajrang Punia and boxer Vijender Singh also extended their support to the farmers and slammed the BJP-JJP government for ‘curbing the voice’ of farmers.
The farmers were protesting against three ordinances promulgated by the central government. These bills include: The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance; and the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance.