101% overreaction: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh on Disha Ravi's arrest, threats to Greta Thunberg

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said actions taken against young activists in the Toolkit case is a “101 per cent overreaction” by the government, dubbing the arrest of Disha Ravi and others in the case as ‘absurd’.

In an interview with Indian Express, the Punjab CM went on to say that there is no logic in wanting to lock up an 18-year-old Swede (Greta Thunberg) just because she extended support to the farmers’ agitation. “You ask Punjabi farmers who Greta Thunberg is, they would never have heard of her. Punjab farmers can teach all Swedes how to farm,” he said.

“Is Greta going to tell us how to run the Rashtriya system?” Singh asked. “What is the benefit of locking up these children (Disha Ravi and others booked in Delhi)?”

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Singh said by that logic, the government should pick up MPs in UK Parliament and in other countries who are supporting the farmers.

He also said that he favours releasing those arrested in the Red Fort incident, saying that arresting means provocation and that the whole lot should be released. “This is a provocation and our Punjabis react badly to provocation. As you know, we have our own temperament,” he is quoted as saying.

Talking about the Centre-farmer talks about the laws, Singh said there is a possibility that the government may compromise and suspend the laws for 2 years.

Singh said his government has information that Pakistan is using the farmers’ agitation to send weapons to Punjab to recruit people.