Instead of turban issue in Bengal, BJP should look into farm law affected-Sikhs: Congress

Congress leer in Lok Sabha hir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday said when lakhs of Sikhs in Punjab are facing an uncertain future because of farm laws passed by BJP-led central government, while saffron party is crying foul over an alleged incident of pulling off of turban of a Sikh by police during a protest rally here.

Chowdhury said that Congress has a lot of complaints against police in West Bengal, but he does t believe that force indulges in communalism or dividing people on basis of caste and creed.

BJP has alleged that police have shown disrespect to Sikh community by allegedly pulling off turban of Balwinder Singh, a private security officer of a party leer, while arresting him for carrying a firearm during a protest march to state secretariat on October 8. state government has said that his turban came off during a scuffle with police.

Chowdhury, also state Congress president, told reporters that police have explained reason for arresting Singh, and questioned why he was carrying a firearm in a rally.

Holding that Sikhs and Bengalis have lived in harmony in West Bengal for s, he said that " BJP will t be able to draw m into communal politics".

Chowdhury said that re may have been attacks on Sikhs in or parts of country, but re has never been an incident of atrocity on m in this state.

"Lakhs of Sikh people are protesting against Narendra Modi government's farm laws since y fear that se will throw ir lives into an uncertain future. If BJP really has any feeling for sentiment of Sikhs, its leers in Bengal should speak out against farm laws," he said.

Three contentious farm laws have triggered protests by farmers especially in Punjab and Haryana.He said that at least 40 crore jobs are needed in country w and that people are going through an unprecedented phase of poverty and hardship amid coronavirus pandemic.

buying capacity of people in country has reduced drastically as y do t have money in ir hands.

Per capita income of citizens of Banglesh is higher than that of Indians. ecomic situation of neighbouring country is better than that of us, he said.Chowdhury said that at a time when people have lost jobs owing to pandemic, central government has brought upon m ar big blow by bringing farm laws.Anti-labour laws brought by central government are also taking away rights of workers, he claimed.

"Inste of bringing in a vaccine for Covid-19, working for betterment of healthcare services in country and helping ecomically distressed people, government has taken vant of situation brought in anti-farmer and anti-labour laws," he said.