Delhi Chalo march: Rahul Gandhi speaks with injured farmer

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, 14 February spoke over the phone with a farmer who was injured during police action at the Shambhu border near Ambala.

During his visit to a hospital in Rajpura, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring arranged a conversation between Gandhi and the farmer over a mobile phone. The farmer was admitted to the hospital.

Gandhi asked the injured farmer where all he sustained injuries, and the farmer replied that he had sustained wounds on his hands and near his eye.

Farmers on Tuesday, 13 February had clashed with the Haryana Police at two border points between the states, facing tear gas and water cannons as they tried to break past barricades blocking their protest march to the national capital.

The former Congress president also asked the farmer how many protestors sustained injuries in the police action.

When the farmer, who was an ex-serviceman, explained about the police action, Gandhi said, "it is completely wrong."

"We are with you. Don't worry," Gandhi told the farmer.

"You are fighting for what is important for the country. You earlier worked for the country and you are doing it now as well. 'Shabash' (Well done). Best of luck," Gandhi told the farmer.

Farmer leaders on Tuesday blamed the Centre for the "attack" on protesters marching towards Delhi and claimed that 60 of them were injured as police used tear gas shells at Punjab-Haryana border points.

Twenty-four police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, were injured as protesters hurled stones at them, officials said.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation to put pressure on the Centre for their demands, including a law on minimum support price for crops and loan waivers.