Haryana: Police resort to lathi charging farmers; nail in the shroud of BJP-JJP govt, says Congress

The Haryana police on Tuesday resorted to lathi charging protesting farmers in Kurukshetra. The farmers were demanding Maximum Support Price (MSP) for the Soya (sunflower) seeds.

The Haryana Police used water cannons to disperse the protesters who blocked the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway after the Khattar government did not pay heed to their demands. In response, farmers blocked roads and highways in different districts of Haryana on Wednesday.

The farmers claimed that the BJP government was not buying sunflower seeds at the MSP, and they were forced to sell their produce to private buyers at around Rs 4,000 per quintal against Rs 6,400 MSP.

Farmers associated with various farm unions sought procurement of sunflower seeds by the government at the MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal.

Local media claimed that more than 1000 farmers, including the chief of the BKU in Haryana, Gurnam Singh Charuni will be produced in court today.

Reacting to the lathi charge, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda said that “ye (BJP) sarkar na kisan ki hai, na jawan ki, na pehalwan ki. Ye sarkar sirf dhanwan ki hai (The BJP government neither cares for farmers nor for the wrestlers, but only the rich).”

Supporting farmers' demand for the MSP for Soya seeds, Hooda attacked the BJP government in Haryana.

“The government is so anti-farmers...they brought three farm laws and 700 farmers had died during the protest. When the laws were repealed, the government promised to form a committee to make MSP a legal guarantee. However, there is no trace of the committee on the MSP despite one and a half year having passed,” said Hooda, addressing a press conference in Delhi.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala lashed out against Haryana CM Khattar over the lathi charge.

“Lathi charge on farmers in Kurukshetra will work as a nail in the shroud of BJP-JJP government. The MSP of sunflower crop is Rs 6,400 but the farmer is forced to sell the crop for Rs 4,000-4,500. On asking for justice, you get sticks. This oppression will not be tolerated anymore. The merciless lathi charge in Shahabad of Kurukshetra has exposed the hatred of the Khattar government towards the farmers,” Surjewala tweeted. 

Farmer leader Suresh Kainth said the Khattar government’s “dictatorship” will not be tolerated. He demanded the release of arrested farmers, and warned, “We will launch a mega protest against the BJP government if needed. The government should understand that farmers are not alone in their battle,” he said in a video message.

In response to police resorting to lathi charge, farmers blocked the Ganaur Pugthala Road near Sardhana village in Sonipat.

Raising slogans against the Haryana government, farmers also blocked Rohtak to Hisar highway over the treatment meted out to them in Kurukshetra.