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If Haryana farmers were not involved in stir, who faced lathis, who did state police arrest: Hooda

“I have repeatedly urged the government to withdraw these laws or bring in a new law to guarantee MSP (minimum support price) of the crops. The chief minister should state whether he does not consider the agitating farmers residents of Haryana," said Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Haryana farmers protest, Haryana CM, MSP, CHandigarh news, Haryana news, Indian express newsSenior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda

Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday slammed Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for his remarks that the state’s farmers have not participated in the stir against the new agri laws and warned that if farmers’ problems are not resolved, a “bigger movement” will be undertaken.

Hooda Sunday said the farmers of Haryana have been agitating against the three agricultural laws for the past many months. “I have repeatedly urged the government to withdraw these laws or bring in a new law to guarantee MSP (minimum support price) of the crops. The chief minister should state whether he does not consider the agitating farmers residents of Haryana. If the farmers of Haryana are not part of the movement, then who did the government lathi-charge at Pipli? Who are the people who were detained by Haryana Police before their Delhi march? Who are the thousands of farmers against whom the Haryana government has filed cases?” Hooda asked.

The former chief minister said Khattar’s “ignorance” towards such a big movement is “shocking and disturbing”. “The government should know that the farmers of Haryana and Punjab have stood shoulder to shoulder in this movement. They are also getting support from farmers of UP, Rajasthan and other states. Ignoring them is an insult to those who work hard and put food on our tables. As a responsible Opposition, we fully support the demands of the farmers,” Hooda said.

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The Leader of Opposition said the entire nation stands with farmers and will fight till the government concedes to the genuine and lawful demands of the farmers. “Until the farmers win this battle, we stand firmly with demands of the farmers. The attitude adopted by the government to crush the movement is completely undemocratic as every citizen and every class has the right to demonstrate peacefully for their just demands in democracy,” he said.

“Till now, the entire agitation has been peaceful. But Haryana government’s role in the entire movement has been negative. The government’s job is to keep the roads and highways open, not to close them down. The government’s job is to make roads but the government also blocked roads and dug roads to stop the farmers,” he added.

Festive offer

Hooda advised the government to listen to the farmers and not ignore such a large mass movement and accept their demand for guarantee of MSP for their crops. “For this, the government must do what needs to be done, whether the existing laws have to be amended or new laws have to be enacted,” he said.

“This government has completely lost the trust of the farmers and this is why the farmers do not believe in the assurances given by the government and now want a law that guarantees MSP. Not only this, the government should also withdraw the cases lodged against the farmers immediately and release the detained farmer leaders,” he added.

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Hooda once again appealed to all the residents of Haryana to provide all support and arrangements for farmers arriving from different areas of Punjab and Haryana on the Delhi border. “The farmers should not have any problem with their food and accommodation,” he said.

Hooda suggested that the government immediately talk to these farmers without waiting for December 3 and find a solution to the problems at the earliest. “The government should not wait any more as the agitation can escalate and become a much bigger movement,” he said.

Centre’s intentions not good: Selja

Meanwhile, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee Kumari Selja too demanded withdrawal of FIRs registered against the farmers in Haryana, urging the government to immediately release the arrested farmers. She called the points about farm laws mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address “hollow”. She said the condition laid by Union Home Minister Amit Shah for talks with the farmers “clearly shows the intention of BJP government at the Centre is not good”.

First uploaded on: 29-11-2020 at 23:02 IST
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