Mann Govt Strongly Refutes Centre’s Claim, Denies Allowing Farmers To Gather At Punjab-Haryana Border

New Delhi: The AAP government in Punjab on Wednesday sent a strong reply to the Centre’s letter on the farmers’ protest, saying it was “totally incorrect” to allege that the state government was permitting gathering at the two border points with Haryana. The Punjab government’s reply came after the Centre expressed its serious objection to the assembly of protesters, estimating that nearly 14,000 people have congregated along the Punjab-Haryana border.

Protesting farmers have been staying at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab’s border with Haryana after their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to pressurize the Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was halted by security forces which led to clashes last week.

In its communication to the Punjab government, the Union Home Ministry also said the worsening law-and-order situation in the state over the past few days has been a cause of worry and asked it to take strict action against lawbreakers. The home ministry said many troublemakers in the disguise of farmers were engaging in stone-pelting, and mobilising heavy machinery along the Shambhu on Punjab’s border with Haryana.

According to reports prepared by central security agencies, nearly 14,000 people have been allowed to assemble at the Shambhu barrier on Rajpura-Ambala Road, with nearly 1,200 tractor-trolleys, 300 cars, 10 mini-buses and other small vehicles, the home ministry said. Likewise, Punjab has allowed a gathering of around 4,500 people with close to 500 tractor-trolleys at the Dhabi-Gujran barrier, it claimed.

In response, Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma said it was “totally incorrect” to allege that the Punjab government was permitting people to assemble at Shambhu and Dhabhi-Gurjan borders. Farmers were heading to Delhi to stage a protest but due to restrictions on their movement, farmers were at the borders of Punjab and Haryana, he said.

Verma said that so far, more than 160 people have been injured due to tear gas shells, rubber bullets, use of physical force and drones by the Haryana Police. Yet the Punjab government has sensibly maintained the law and order situation, he said.

He also said the Punjab government played a vital role in negotiations between farmer leaders and a panel of union ministers with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann himself attending three out of four such meetings. In one of the meetings which he could not attend, the CM deputed a cabinet minister and senior officials, he said.

The chief secretary called for showing more compassion towards farmers, saying the law and order issue during the protest should be handled in a more sensitive way as Punjab is a border state. Over 2,000 police personnel have been deployed to maintain peace, according to the communication. “The situation is being continuously monitored, we will take steps if required,” the chief secretary said.