FORCED TO scrap his go to to Karnal Sunday after farm protesters took over the venue, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar accused Opposition events and state BKU chief Gurnam Singh Chadhuni of inciting folks to disrupt regulation and order, and insisted that the Centre won’t repeal its new agriculture legal guidelines.
Addressing a press convention in Chandigarh after his go to to the venue of a BJP “kisan panchayat” in Karnal’s Kaimla village was cancelled, Khattar stated: “The Government is not going to repeal these laws. It is certain. Even if state governments are to be exempted, there will only be amendments. A resolution can be reached after discussion on certain points. But I don’t think the Government is going to withdraw these laws. I am hopeful that discussions are going in the right direction, that is why the next date of meeting has been fixed.”
Asked concerning the legal guidelines, he stated: “Whenever a new policy is made, it always takes time to see its benefits. Had we waited for some time, we would have gone to the Union Government and said that there were discrepancies in these laws. I believe we should wait for at least one year to see its benefits. Even today, these farm legislations are not binding on farmers. Mandis are there, MSP is there and shall always be there. Only an alternative has been given to the farmers. If they get MSP out of the mandi, why would farmers object to that? It will benefit them.”
Referring to the scheduled go to to Karnal, his house constituency, the Chief Minister stated that he “had to make some announcements of Rs 100-crore development projects at the village”.
Blaming the violence on “certain unscrupulous elements,” he stated: “We have a strong democratic set-up in our country, the Constitution gives all these rights. We have never stopped anyone from expressing their views. Even amid Covid-19, we made adequate arrangements for their safety and security. But the violation of Constitutional provisions is unpardonable,” he stated.
Hitting out on the Opposition and Chadhuni, Khattar stated: “These people have defamed farmers, this cannot be the behaviour of farmers. Gurnam Singh Chadhuni’s video released two days ago, wherein he incited people, is responsible for today’s incident. I believe that the Congress party and the Communists have a major role to play in such incidents. Through these agitations, if they think they can spread their wings, they are highly mistaken,” he stated.
“People are dying there (on Delhi’s outskirts) in this weather… I would suggest that this protest should end immediately so that these farmers can go back home,” Khattar stated.
Asked concerning the violence in Kaimla village, Khattar stated: “They are not our enemies. They are also our people. They are also of our state. People had come there to hear me but certain unscrupulous elements created disruption.”
Sunday was not the primary time that Khattar needed to cancel a scheduled programme amid the farm protests. On December 9, he scrapped a go to to Padha village in Karnal with protesters damaging the helipad. On December 22, his convoy was attacked by protesters in Ambala, with the state authorities charging the accused with try to homicide.
Besides, the state’s BJP and ally JJP leaders, together with ministers and MPs, have principally been confined to workplaces and houses and avoiding non-party public appearances. Several movies have surfaced on social media of senior leaders from each events being abused on visits to villages the place the protests have gained floor.
Haryana police’s intelligence wing, in the meantime, suggested BJP and ally JJP ministers to not enterprise out in public with out ample safety cowl. MLAs from each events have been additionally suggested to convey their tour programmes to district administrations upfront to make sure ample safety.