Captain Amarinder Singh met PM Narendra Modi and discussed farmers' issues last week
In the first such remark by any senior BJP leader, Captain Amarinder Singh has slammed Haryana police over the injury to protesting farmer Pritpal Singh near the Khanauri border separating Punjab and Haryana.
"I strongly condemn the barbaric act of violence committed by the Haryana Police on our young farmer Pritpal Singh. I urge Haryana CM @mlkhattar to take strict action against the policemen who are guilty of badly beating up an unarmed youngster who was just serving langar to people," the former Punjab Chief Minister said in a post on X.
This is the first remark by a BJP leader criticising the Haryana police's actions to stop the farmers marching towards Delhi. The farmers have been protesting over several demands, including a law to guarantee a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops. MSP is the minimum price at which a crop can be bought and acts as a price guarantee for farmers, protecting them from distress sale.
Multiple rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmers have failed to find a breakthrough. While the Centre has agreed to provide an MSP guarantee, there is disagreement over the formula according to which it would be provided.
Haryana police have, meanwhile, fortified the state' borders with Punjab to ensure that the farmers cannot proceed towards Delhi. They have used teargas shells every time the farmers have approached the barricades blocking the way. A 21-year-old farmer, Shubhkaran Singh, died during a clash between the cops and the farmers.
Earlier, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher slammed Haryana police over the injuries to Pritpal Singh.
Farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa said Pritpal Singh were doing "langar seva" at Khanauri when he was allegedly dragged by the policemen. "He was dragged from his tractor trolley, thrashed and later admitted to a hospital in Rohtak. But we got him shifted to PGIMER at Chandigarh," he said. Mr Pandher said Pritpal Singh has suffered multiple injuries and condemned the police action.
The farmer leader urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept the demands of the protesters. "The Prime Minister should also take action against policemen who indulge in such barbaric acts," he said.
The police action against the protesting farmers is set to turn into a flashpoint between Haryana and Punjab. The Bhagwant Mann government has already said "appropriate legal action will be taken against the culprits" in Shubhkaran Singh's death. Punjab's Opposition parties have also reacted strongly to the farmer's death.
Captain Amarinder Singh's remarks on the injury to the farmer comes days after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed issues related to farmers.
"Had a detailed meeting with Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji on wide-ranging issues related to Punjab, including the issues concerning the farmers," the veteran leader, who was earlier with the Congress, said last week.