Sachin Pilot slams Haryana CM Khattar on 'pick up sticks' remark; calls it 'unfortunate'

On Monday, Congress leader Sachin Pilot slammed Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar over his 'pick up sticks' remarks against the protesting farmers. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday exhorted the BJP cadre to form groups and retaliate violently to farmers protesting against the Farm Laws. He was addressing the members of the state unit of the BJP Kisan Morcha who had come to his residence to thank him for advancing the paddy procurement.

Sachin Pilot also slammed the Uttar Pradesh State government after the Congress General Secretary (UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was detained by the police when she was on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet families of farmers who lost their lives in violence. 

Briefing media persons, Pilot said, "Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's statement is unfortunate. Priyanka Gandhi wants to go to Lakhimpur Kheri and sympathise with farmers but the state (UP) government is afraid and did not allow her. We demand a judicial inquiry into the incident."

Congress has demanded immediate release of party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who has been allegedly detained by UP Police in the Hargaon area on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri. The Congress also demanded the dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni from the Union Council of Ministers and the arrest of his son.

Lakhimpur Kher violence

On October 3, while farmers were protesting against the Farm Laws at Lakhimpur Kheri outside an event venue where Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya was scheduled to attend, one of the farmers was allegedly shot dead by Ashish Misra — son of Union MoS Ajay Misra Teni and two farmers were killed after his car ran over them and turned turtle. Before the incident, farmers were seen holding black flags displaying their disapproval of Maurya's helipad landing at Maharaja Agrasen Ground. In response to the horrifying act, farmers begin to stone-pelting at the car which had overturned, killing 4 BJP workers — including Misra's driver. 

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar 'pick-up sticks' remarks

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar talked about "tit-for-tat" during a meeting of the BJP's Kisan Morcha on Sunday when he told the gathering to form groups of 500 to 1,000 and be prepared to even go to jail, with the Opposition and farm unions alleging that he was asking the supporters of the saffron party to attack the farmers protesting against three agriculture laws of the Centre. Manohar Lal Khattar had said, "We have to encourage new farmer organizations. The problem (farm protests) does not exist to that extent in south Haryana. Raise volunteer groups of 500, 700, or 1000 farmers in each district of north and west Haryana. Tit for tat. Pick up sticks."

“If you stay inside [in jail] for a few months, you will learn more than what you learn at these meetings. You will emerge as a big leader. Your name will go down in history," he added. Taking umbrage at these remarks, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala contended that the rule of law and the Constitution cannot operate in the state if the CM openly talks about spreading violence. Alleging that BJP's "anti-farmer conspiracy" has been exposed, he claimed that PM Modi and JP Nadda also endorsed Khattar's point of view. 

(Image: PTI)