Farmers accuse BJP supporters of trying to disrupt stir, creating ruckus at Shambhu site
Ambala Wholesale Cloth Merchants’ Association chief Vishal Batra said they had accompanied some locals living and working around Shambhu to the protest site to meet the unions and resolve the matter. However, an argument took place and association members left immediately, he added.
Farmers protesting at the Shambhu barrier on Sunday alleged that some “goons” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attempted to derail their agitation and take over the main stage at the site.
They alleged that the goons created ruckus at the protest site and asked farmers to vacate the highway.
However, some traders from Ambala, who had gone to the site, denied the charge, saying that they had gone there to highlight the losses they are suffering because of the blockade on the Ambala-Ludhiana national highway.
Farmers, led by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KKM) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri barriers between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces. The farmers were marching to Delhi for various demands, including minimum support price on crops.
Alleging that Sunday’s incident was orchestrated by the BJP, KKM convener Sarwan Singh Pandher demanded police action over the incident.
He added that BJP candidates, during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, had threatened of the dire consequences for the farmers after the election result. “The threat (by BJP) became a reality today. The BJP supporters, disguising as local residents, tried to derail the protest. Punjab Police remained a mute spectator during the chaos, which leads to suspicion that they have a tacit understanding with the BJP,” said Pandher.
Meanwhile, Ambala Wholesale Cloth Merchants’ Association chief Vishal Batra said, “We had accompanied some locals living and working around Shambhu to the protest site to meet the unions and resolve the matter. However, as soon as we reached there, locals got furious and started arguing with us. So, we decided to leave immediately. When we reached Ambala, the unions alleged that we tried to take over the stage, which is not true.”
To a query, Batra said that a delegation of five members was invited by the senior union leaders at the stage, but due to the persisting circumstances, “we did not and left the site”.
On the allegations that farmers had blocked the road, Pandher said, “Farmers had never blocked the road; it was the Haryana Police that erected a cement-wall on the national highway. We demand that Haryana Police should clear the national highway as Punjab is also facing financial losses and people are facing inconvenience due to road closure by Haryana government,” said Pandher.
Jagjeet Singh Dallewal, convener, SKM (non-political), said, “I want to clarify to the people agitating against our protest that it was Haryana Police that has blocked the national highway.
Later, members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh), who are also part of the stir, addressed the media in Ambala and reiterated the KKM’s stand.
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