Haryana’s Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, bashing against the Punjab government on Thursday asked the latter to not “play with the lives of the people” and “avoid cheap politics during the time of pandemic”. The bashing comes amidst the ongoing ‘Delhi Chalo’ farmers protest on the Punjab-Haryana border.
Police have been using water cannons and tear gas shells to cull the protest being staged by farmers over three farm bills enacted by the government of India recently.
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The ‘peaceful’ protestors were also seen resiting the police and trying to break through the barracking put up by the police at various locations on the Haryana Punjab border.
In reaction to the protest, Khattar, accusing Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh, said that it’s “time for your Lies, Deception and Propaganda is over – let the people see your real face. Please stop putting the lives of people in danger during the Corona pandemic. I urge you to not play with the lives of the people – atleast avoid cheap politics during the time of pandemic,”.
“I’ve been trying to reach out to you for the last 3 days but sadly you decided to stay unreachable – is this how serious you are for farmer’s issues? You’re only tweeting and running away from talks, Why?” he asked. “@capt_amarinder ji, I’ve said it earlier and I’m saying it again, I’ll leave politics if there’ll be any trouble on the MSP – therefore, please stop inciting innocent farmers,” he added.
Earlier Singh had both criticised and urged Khattar to let farmers march to Delhi through the national highway. He had said that it’s the constitutional right of the farmers to protest.
“Why is ML Khattar government in Haryana stopping the farmers from moving to Delhi? The tyrannical use of brute force against peacefully protesting farmers is totally undemocratic and unconstitutional,” he said, asserting that “the hands that feed the nation deserve to be held, not pushed aside.” “For nearly 2 months farmers have been protesting peacefully in Punjab without any problem. Why is the Haryana government provoking them by resorting to force? Don’t the farmers have the right to pass peacefully through a public highway?” he asked.
Controversial Farm Bills
All the fuss is around the three farm bills (now laws) that aim to not only give farmers a free hand at selling their produce to private individuals and indulge in inter-state and intra-state trade, but also aims to create areas outside the APMC mandis where farm products can be sold.
For the unaware, a mandi is an area where farmers bring their produce and sell them at a Minimum Support Price (or higher). The middleman, who purchases these produce from the farmers, then sells the same across businesses.
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The government says that with its new farm laws, it aims to eradicate the middle man and help farmers earn a bigger share of profit by directly introducing them to businesses that would buy directly buy from them.
