Chandigarh, Aug 28 (IANS): Expressing shock at the brazen brutality of Haryana Police, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday slammed his counterpart in the neighbouring state for unleashing such a vicious assault on the peacefully protesting farmers, many of whom were injured in the lathi-charge.
Pointing out that this was not the first time that farmers had been subjected to such ruthlessness at the hands of the Haryana Police, Amarinder Singh said it was evident that the BJP-led M.L. Khattar government had once again deliberately used brute force in a desperate bid to end the farmers' stir against the draconian farm laws.
Such Khattar government-sponsored attack on farmers was not only unacceptable but outright condemnable, said the Chief Minister, demanding an apology from the Haryana CM and aid for the injured farmers.
"This is no way to treat out annadaatas," said Amarinder Singh, warning that the BJP would have to bear the consequences of such horrendous actions, and of the apathy of its government at the Centre towards the farmers, in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Punjab and other states.
Instead of heeding the concerns of the farmers and repealing the farm laws which were clearly undemocratic and anti-farmer, the BJP had been persistently indulging in offensive acts, even stooping to the extent of insulting them by using derogatory names, he said.
The people of India will not forgive the BJP for its shameful treatment of the farmers, many of whom have lost their lives during their protest at the Delhi borders, he added.
Having failed to foil their agitation and subjugate their will, the Haryana government had again resorted to physical assault of the innocent and peaceful farmers, who had been braving extreme weather, pandemic and other problems in their fight against the black legislations, which the BJP-led government at the Centre was using to hand over agriculture to their crony capitalist friends, he added.
Even earlier, in November 2020, Haryana Police had ferociously assaulted farmers to stop them from marching to the Delhi borders to join the agitation against the central laws, he pointed out.
Citing media reports and viral videos of the baton charge on the farmers on way to protest against Khattar's visit to Karnal for a meeting, the Chief Minister also condemned the IAS officer who was reportedly seen giving instructions to the police force to bash up the protesting farmers.
He demanded immediate dismissal of the officer and strict action against him, as per the law.