‘Some people from Punjab…’: Manohar Khattar stirs fresh controversy over farmers’ protest, says protesters are not….

Farmers’ Protest 2.Zero: Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar has stirred a fresh controversy along with his remarks on the farmers’ protest, alleging that those protesting on the borders of Haryana, Delhi, and Punjab, do not seem to be farmers but masquerading as one and their goal is to destabilize elected governments.

Addressing a public meeting in Ambala city on Tuesday while campaigning for BJP candidate Aseem Goel, Khattar claimed that protesters sitting on the Punjab side of the Haryana border are “wearing masks of farmers” whose sole aim is to damage the system and destabilise the govt.

“The enormous problem is the closure of (Shambu) border. Common people, specifically traders, are facing problems caused by its closure. We had plans to open the border, but those sitting across do not seem to be farmers, but wearing mask of farmers, few such people that will prefer to damage the system, destabilise the established governments, they are such people,” Khattar alleged.

“Some people from Punjab, disguising themselves as farmers, started an uprising… The intention within the back of it became to bring down the Central and Haryana governments. Those disguised individuals even stormed the Red Fort in Delhi and reached the capital with tractors. They were no longer farmers…” he claimed, in step with news agency ANI.

‘You recognize who they are’

“I don’t should go into important points, you also know who they are,” the former Haryana chief minister said, while also noting that Ambala is facing the brunt of the protests as its located in the case of the Shambhu border.

“We were moving beforehand, but the matter became taken up in courts. Now, the case is ahead of the Supreme Court, which has formed a committee. I think a solution will likely be found.. but bear in mind the court will no longer allow (the border) to open without condition. And there's explanation for this. The sort of havoc they created last time (at some stage in farmers’ stir in 2021), which farmer will disrespect the nation by climbing the Red Fort,” he said.

Congress reacts

Meanwhile, the BJP leader’s remarks triggered a sarcastic reaction from Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.

“Khattar Sahab became removed since the BJP understood that as long as Khattar sahab is there, they'll no longer get a single seat,” Warring said in a scathing jibe on the former CM

Farmers’ Protest 2.Zero

Farmers below the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press the govt to accept their more than about a demands which encompass that the Centre should give a legal guarantee for MSP for crops.

The protesting farmers have been staying put on the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 when their march became stopped by the safety forces.

Recently, the Supreme Court constituted a committee headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Nawab Singh to amicably resolve the grievances of protesting farmers on the Shambhu border. The pinnacle court became then hearing the Haryana government’s plea challenging the high court’s order asking it to cast off within a week the barricades erected on the Shambhu border.

(With PTI inputs)