'Stop inciting innocent farmers': Khattar's unsparing attack on Punjab CM amid agitation

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has called out his Punjab counterpart Capt Amarinder Singh for 'inciting innocent farmers' amid the ongoing agitation against the three contentious farm laws implemented recently. Throwing an open challenge, Khattar asserted that he would quit politics if the farm laws introduced, hamper the Minimum Support Price (MSP), as contended by the Opposition. 

Khattar's remarks on Thursday come in response to the Punjab CM's comments earlier wherein he urged the BJP to direct their state government's to refrain from indulging in 'strong-arm tactics' against the farmers. Capt. Amarinder Singh was referring to the use of water cannons by Haryana Police to disperse farmers in Karnal proceeding towards Delhi to protest against the farm laws. 

'Avoid cheap politics'

The Punjab CM also claimed that farmers have been protesting in the state for 2 months without any problem and that the Haryana government is trying to provoke them by resorting to force. In response, CM Khattar alleged that he has been trying to reach out to his Punjab counterpart but he has only been 'tweeting and running away from talks'. 

"Time for your Lies, Deception and Propaganda is over - let the people see your real face. Please stop putting the lives of people in danger during the Corona pandemic. I urge you to not play with the lives of the people - atleast avoid cheap politics during the time of the pandemic," Khattar tweeted, in an unsparing attack on the Punjab CM. 

While the Chief Ministers engaged in a war of words on Twitter, dramatic scenes unfolded in Haryana as the farmers gathered for the 'Dilli Chalo' march on Thursday morning. The protesting farmers wreaked havoc as they attempted to remove the barricades set up by the police. In response, the police lobbed tear-gas. The crowd, however, responded by throwing the entire barricade off the bridge. Following that, as the police used lathis, the protesters who outnumbered the law enforcement, attempted to move the large trucks and tractors that have been parked on the bridge as a second level of barricading. 

READ | Haryana Min Anil Vij Hits Back At Punjab CM For 'not Allowing Peaceful Talks With Farmers'

READ | In Dramatic 'Dilli Chalo' Face-off, Farmers Toss Barricades Off Bridge, Cops Use Tear Gas

Farmers call off 'Rail Roko'

Farmers' unions had called off the Rail Roko Andolan on November 23 for a period of 15 days, allowing all goods and passenger trains to continue services. Farmers had been observing the 'Rail Roko Andolan' since September, with several unions squatting on railway tracks restricting trains from plying as usual. As a result, the Railway Ministry had suspended goods railway services, which consequently impacted the transport of coal and other essentials in the state. The Railways had asked the Punjab state government for assurance of the farmers' safety, without which trains would not be allowed to operate.  

READ | Haryana Police Use Water-cannons On Farmers Marching To Delhi; SAD Cries 'Punjab Cut-off'

The decision to end the 'Rail Roko Andolan' came amid the farmers' bodies call to march towards Delhi and protest in the national capital. As per PTI, farm leader Ruldu Singh had stated that 'lakhs of farmers' will go to Delhi on tractors to take part in a protest on November 26 and 27. The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), a body of more than 200 farmer organisations across the country had also issued a 'Delhi Chalo' call. 

READ | Punjab CM Asks Haryana CM 'Why Is Your Govt Provoking Farmers?' Amid 'Chalo Delhi' March

What are the three farm bills?

During the monsoon session of the Parliament which was held amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha had passed three farm bills aimed at reforms in the agriculture sector amid severe Opposition. The bills introduced have also received the President's assent. These bills included amending the Essential Commodities act to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments - making agriculture sector competitive.  Agriculture foodstuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potato to be deregulated while stock limits were to imposed under extreme conditions. Under the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services ordinance, 2020, it provided a framework for the protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to the sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws.