What is happening and what happened at Singhu is what Pakistan wants, says Punjab CM; condemns Red fort violence

Capt Amarinder Singh said, `I don`t believe that the farmers were involved in the violence. It is for the investigative authorities to probe into the matter and see who is responsible for it,` adding `This is something of which no Indian can be proud. The Red Fort is a symbol of our Independence and democracy. It was a sad day when I saw that (violence) happen.`

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Friday (January 29) that he doesn't believe that the farmers were involved in the Republic Day violence. The Punjab CM sought an investigation to probe into the matter and see who was responsible for it.

Capt Amarinder Singh told ANI, "I don't believe that the farmers were involved in the violence. It is for the investigative authorities to probe into the matter and see who is responsible for it." "This is something of which no Indian can be proud. The Red Fort is a symbol of our Independence and democracy. It was a sad day when I saw that (violence) happen," he added.

Capt Amarinder Singh condemned the violence by "some miscreants" at Singhu border and urged the Centre to conduct a thorough probe to identify the "so-called locals" who had purportedly broken through tight security cordons to attack farmers and their property.

"Were they really locals?" asked the chief minister, seeking a proper investigation to identify the "trouble-makers" and ascertain where they came from. "I can't believe that the local people could have turned against the farmers like this. Miscreants might have been brought from other places by vested interests to foment trouble," he said, adding that locals calling the farmers "traitors" was not something he could believe to be true.

"What is happening and what happened at Singhu today is what Pakistan wants," said Singh, pointing out that he had been warning for a long time that Pakistan will try to exploit the unrest over the farm laws to disturb Punjab's peace.

That was what I had discussed with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah during our meeting due to which a lot of noise was raised, he said, adding that he had told Shah that drones were coming from Pakistan with weapons, drugs etc. And while many had been caught in Punjab, some would have passed through."

The Chief Minister advised the farmers as well the Central government to continue engaging in dialogue to resolve the problem. "I could have resolved the issue by now," he said, adding that the resolution of the issue needed both sides to talk as friends and not enemies. "There needs to be a genuine settlement," he added.

Pointing out that Punjab had seen bad times during its terrorism days, Singh said any further disturbance would not be desirable. He also hit out at those calling the farmers names and said that people have different ideologies but you can't brand them Leftists, Maoists, Naxals, and Khalistanis in this manner.

Singh, however, made it clear that while Punjab's farmers might have led the agitation initially, the movement had now spread across the country.

Earlier in a tweet, Capt said, "Delhi Police should not use the violence on 26th as an excuse to harass genuine farm leaders in order to weaken the agitation. Lookout notices against them must be withdrawn, They’re not corporate raiders like Vijay Mallya or Nirav Modi, but small farmers. Where will they flee?"

On Thursday, the Punjab CM took potshots at the Punjab Governor for not forwarding the farm bills to President, and tweeted, "Why has the Punjab Governor not forwarded our farm bills for accent to the President of India till now? First, you don't consult with states and ram through illegal laws bypassing all federal norms. Agriculture is a state subject and Centre has no power to make laws on it."

(With Agency Inputs)