BJP chief is assaulted by protesters in Punjab, farmer leaders booked

As the farmer protests in Delhi entered the fourth month on Friday, BJP representatives in Punjab have been on the receiving finish, with a minimum of two leaders gheraoed and one in all them assaulted on Saturday.
While BJP state vice-president Parveen Bansal was gheraoed allegedly by farmers in Barnala, forcing him to remain contained in the circuit home for a while, the get together’s Abohar MLA Arun Narang was roughed up and his garments ripped off by protesters carrying flags of farmer unions at Malout in Muktsar district.
MLA Narang had gone to the BJP workplace in Malout round 11 am on Saturday to deal with a press convention on the Congress authorities’s efficiency in Punjab when protesters, who had been sitting on a dharna, surrounded his automotive and poured black oil on the car. As Narang stepped out of his automotive, a scuffle broke out and his kurta-pyjama was ripped.

Police and BJP supporters fashioned a security ring round Narang and, amid a din of abuses and anti-BJP slogans, escorted him to a close-by store. Narang was holed up within the store for about two hours whereas protesters stood exterior shouting slogans.
Narang was later taken to the Civil Hospital in Abohar, 31 km away, and, after a preliminary check-up, his supporters escorted him to his house in Abohar.
Talking to The Indian Express, Narang mentioned, “We will abide by the decision of the party high command… this matter will not end here.” When requested if he would problem an announcement, he mentioned: “What is the need for a statement when everything is out in the public domain? When an MLA is not secure, what can we say about the common man’s security.”
Videos of the incident present BKU (Sidhupur) member Nirmal Singh Jasseana talking right into a microphone, and protesters carrying flags of BKU (Dakaunda).

ExplainedPushed to a nookIn Punjab, the BJP has been pushed to a comer on the farmer problem. With Akalis exiting NDA and the Congress authorities urging the Centre to discover a approach out, Saturday’s incident will harden the political divide.

Police have filed an FIR on costs on try to homicide and rioting, amongst others, towards seven individuals, together with Jasseana and BKU Sidhupur president Sukhdev Singh Burabujar, moreover 200 unidentified individuals.
While the BJP termed the incident a “murderous attack” on its MLA, the Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal mentioned it could serve to weaken the farmers’ protest.
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, in the meantime, warned of “strict action against anyone trying to disrupt peace” within the state by taking the regulation into their palms.
Even as he urged the farmers to not take pleasure in acts of violence, the CM known as upon PM Narendra Modi to urgently resolve the disaster triggered by the controversial farm legal guidelines.
BJP leaders additionally accused the protesters of ransacking the get together workplace in Malout.
Dinesh Kumar, organisational secretary of the Punjab BJP, mentioned: “While Narang had taken refuge in the nearby shop, a few protesters went to first floor of the BJP office and broke chairs, took away some party flags and burnt them on the road in front of the building… This was a murderous attack on our MLA, we are going to meet the Governor of Punjab and DGP, Punjab, as this is a law and order issue… our leaders can’t even move freely.”
He additionally alleged that the protesters weren’t farmers “but workers of political parties, including Congress, AAP and SAD. This is a complete failure of the state government”.
The SAD, in the meantime, condemned the assault on Narang, with get together president Sukhbir Badal interesting to everybody to train restraint. He requested each the Centre and Punjab governments to take steps to ease the tense scenario which had developed within the state “due to the Centre’s refusal to listen to the sentiments of farmers”.
Farmer leaders The Sunday Express spoke to mentioned the incident was an indication of rising public anger.
While strongly condemning the incident, Dr Darshan Pal, coordinator of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, accused BJP leaders and their allies of inciting the farmers with their statements.
Jagmohan Singh Patiala, normal secretary of BKU (Dakaunda), mentioned, “I have got audio and video clips from many people in which BJP leaders are seen instigating the protesting farmers. We had organised a Bharat Bandh in a peaceful manner. We warn the BJP not to instigate the farmers. In the present incident, a few of the protesters were uncontrollable, but the reason behind it needs to be understood… the BJP is troubling farmers. After January 22, the government has not come forward for any talks.”

Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, normal secretary of BKU (Ugrahan), mentioned, ”We have informed our staff to protest by elevating slogans and gheraoing BJP leaders. We by no means promote such protests and I really feel this could not have occurred. But my info is that there have been no BKU (Ugrahan) staff there.”
There has been no let-up in protests towards BJP leaders in Punjab since August final 12 months, when the agitation towards the three farm legal guidelines picked up tempo within the state. In October, farmer unions began sitting on dharnas exterior the residences of BJP leaders, forcing lots of them to cancel their public conferences.