Haryana: Farmers protest in Hisar, demand FIR against BJP MP for 'derogatory' remarks

Protesting farmers gheraoed the Superintendent of Police's (SP) office in Haryana’s Hisar on Monday, November 8, over an alleged assault on anti-farm law protesters on November 5. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was trying to divide people based on caste. The protest in Hisar intensified following BJP MP Ram Chander Jangra's remarks against farmers from Meham town of Rohtak, reportedly calling them 'jobless alcoholics'. Tikait also alleged that Jangra's supporters had assaulted a farmer.  

“Our demand is that a case should be registered against BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra whose goons had attacked the farmer," Tikait said.

BJL leaders kept 'hostage' in Rohtak's Shiv temple

When Ram Chander Jangra arrived for an event at Narnaund on November 5, his car was vandalised and he was shown black flags by protesting farmers. 

Referring to BJP MP Arvind Sharma’s “eye gouged out, hand chopped off” remark, the BKU leader said that RSS Shakha has taught these things to them. Further slamming Arvind Sharma, Tikait said that their Cheif Ministers and other leaders have made statements on the same lines. He questioned if they are living in Afghanistan or hold any connection with the Taliban. 

Former Haryana minister Manish Grover and other party leaders were allegedly kept hostage for seven hours in Kiloi's Shiv temple on November 5. The farmers and villagers reportedly kept hostage about two dozen leaders and workers, including Manish Grover, and several others who came to watch Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programme in Kedarnath live at the Kiloi’s Shiv Temple. 

Anti-farm law protests

The farmers of the Nation have protested a long time to legalise MSP for all crops and scrap the three farm laws including Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. But, the government has stated that making Minimum Support Price (MSP) legal for all crops will put a burden of Rs 17 lakh crore on the government exchequer annually. The figure was calculated on the basis of the total production and MSP declared by the Centre for 23 crops that covered over 80 per cent of India’s total agricultural production. 

(With inputs from ANI, Image: ANI)