Haryana ministers, BJP leaders slam Punjab CM over remarks on farmers’ stir

Leaders of the ruling BJP in Haryana, including minister Anil Vij and party state chief O P Dhankar, on Tuesday hit out at Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh over his remarks on the farmers' stir, saying there is a "conspiracy" to disturb Haryana's economy.

Singh had urged farmers to spare Punjab from their protests against three central farm laws and advised them to shift their sit-in from his state to venues on Delhi's borders or in Haryana, which is a neighbour of the national capital.

However, Singh on Tuesday, a day after he made the remarks, claimed that the farmers agitating against the farm laws are giving a "political twist" to his appeal for stopping their protests in Punjab against the Centre's legislations.

Read more: Protest in Delhi, not Punjab, CM Amarinder Singh tells farmers

He said that their ongoing stir in Punjab has caused pain and misery to the people and was "uncalled for".

Hitting out at Singh, Haryana Home Minister Vij said that "the mere fact of Singh urging farmers to hold protests in Haryana or Delhi proves that his hand is behind this agitation".

"To serve his political ends, he has kept this agitation alive," the minister said.

Haryana BJP president Dhankar, while interacting with reporters, said, "It is clear now that there is a deep conspiracy on part of the Congress to disturb Haryana's economy."

"Singh is talking about saving the economy of his state, but urging them to hold protests in Haryana to disturb our economy,” he said.

Dubbing Punjab a “Bimaru” state on the economic front, Dhankar said, “Everyone knows that Haryana is far ahead than Punjab on many fronts, including on the economic and industrial fronts, but now under a conspiracy they want to disturb our economy”.

Vij also took a dig at the farmers' agitation against the central farm laws, saying, “It is not an agitation anymore. People do not come armed with swords, they don't use lathis, they don't block roads… in agitation dharnas are given in a peaceful manner, people sit on hunger strike.”

Dhankar said that due to the ongoing farmers' agitation, industries in Haryana's Bahadurgarh, Rai, Kundli and Jhajjar have suffered heavily.

He claimed that a “by-product of this agitation” is increase in drug addiction in areas including Jhajjar, Rohtak and Sonipat, where the farmers' agitation is concentrated.

“I come from Jhajjar district, in my area drug addiction has increased. Ever since this agitation started there, village panchayats are meeting me and telling me that addiction has increased and they urge to get it stopped. This increase in addiction cases is by-product of this agitation. In Rohtak, Sonipat too it has increased,” said Dhankar, while terming the development as “worrisome”.

Haryana Minister Kanwar Pal slammed the Punjab chief minister, saying “He has made an irresponsible statement. Earlier, one used to hear about Congress' hand behind this agitation, but now such statements by their own leaders are proving it.”