‘Tha lo dande, do tit-for-tat: Haryana CM tells BJP Kisan Morcha

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday told workers of BJP Kisan Morcha to take up sticks (Tha lo dande) and give tit-for-tat to the farmers agitating against the Centre’s three farm laws.

In a video clip that went viral on social media, Khattar can be heard telling party workers to prop up “500-700-1,000 your men” among the farmers and “make them volunteers” in every district of north and west Haryana. He also asked the gathering to support and promote “some new farmers bodies coming up in the state”.

Khattar was addressing the gathering at his residence in Chandigarh on Sunday, the link of which was live on YouTube. However, after the clip of controversial remarks went viral on social media, the video was taken off.

“Haryana ke har zile mein apne kisano ke 500-700-1,000 log aap log apne khade karo, unko volunteer banao aur phir jagah jagah Sathe Sathyam Smacharet-- jaise ko taisa-- Tha lo dande (Lift the sticks and give tit for tat)…,” the CM is heard in the clip.

A smiling Khattar also told the gathering that after taking up “dande” (bamboo sticks) they should not care for “zamanat” (bail) as serving time in jail for a few months “will make you big leaders”.

He, however, instructed the audience to remain in discipline and not do beyond “what has been told”.

AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala immediately lashed out at the chief minister and the state government of Haryana in a series of tweets in which he tagged Khattar’s video.

“If a chief minister of a state will talk about spreading violence, communal disharmony and lawlessness, the governance as per law and Constitution cannot function in such a state. Today, BJP’s anti-farmer conspiracy has been exposed,” Surjewala said.

“Your mantra of instigating BJP supporters to attack protesting farmers with sticks will never succeed. Spreading anarchy in an open programme after taking oath of the Constitution is sedition,” the Congress spokesman added.

Farmers across Haryana, Punjab and Western Uttar Pradesh and on the borders of Delhi have been protesting against the Modi government’s three farm laws, urging the government to repeal the laws. The government has however been adamant.