Amid farmers-Haryana police clash at border, SAD chief draws shocking parallel with 26/11

In a shockingly insensitive comment, Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday, compared police action against protesting Punjab farmers at Punjab-Haryana border to 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Condemning Haryana and Central government, he said that 'Punjab farmers cant be throttled by using water canns against m'. This comment comes on 12th anniversary of 26/11 attacks when a group of Pakistani terrorists entered Mumbai via sea route and carried out 12 coordinated shootings and bombings across city - killing 174, injuring over 300.

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Haryana govt water-canns farmers   

With Punjab and Haryana farmers marching towards Delhi protesting Centre's three Farm Acts, Haryana administration, which has sealed its borders for two days, resorted to using tear gas and water-canns as farmers tried to break barricades ad proceed to national capital. Visuals for 'Dilli Chalo' march at Shambhu, Punjab-Haryana border, show protesters picking up one of metal barricades and tossed it off over a river-bridge, to which police retaliated by lathi-charging, water-cann and tear gas. This has been ongoing since Wednesday, with Congress, AAP and Akali Dal condemning Centre for stopping farmers, while BJP has accused Opposition of 'inciting incent farmers'.

Recently, Centre commenced rail services from and to Punjab because farmers' unions had decided to lift rail blockades completely, after talks with Punjab CM Amarinder Singh. Centre has held two rounds of talks with Farm unions in Delhi which have been inconclusive and has agreed to hold next round of talks on December 3.  Farmers allege that se laws are "anti-farmers" and will "destroy voice of farmers and leave m at mercy of market forces", inspite of PM Modi assuring that Minimum Sale price will exist.

In dramatic 'Dilli Chalo' face-off, farmers toss barricades off bridge, cops use tear gas

What are Farm Laws?

As country opened up after lockdown, Centre promulgated three ordinances affecting agriculture. Agriculture foodstuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions, and potato are to be deregulated while stock limits were to be imposed only under extreme conditions, under amendment to Essential Commodities act. Farmers' produce trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act was to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments - making agriculture sector competitive.  Under Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services ordinance, 2020, it provided a framework for protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws. State governments in Punjab, Rajasthan have passed laws annulling Centre's laws.

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