CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Saturday that the protests against the Central farm laws were backed by political parties with some unwanted elements raising pro-Khalistan slogans.
“The state has inputs of some unwanted elements raising pro-Khalistan slogans in the ongoing farmers’ protests in and around the national capital,” he told the media in Gurugram.
The Chief Minister categorically said that he will share more details once the information “is concrete”.
“We’ve inputs of some unwanted elements in the crowd. We’ve reports, will disclose once it’s concrete. They raised such slogans,” said the Chief Minister.
He said it is unfortunate and condemnable to see how some people are furthering their political agendas in the name of farmers.
Khattar also appealed to the farmers of Punjab that their representatives should hold talks with the Central government as this is the only solution.
The Chief Minister said that he has been trying to contact Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh regarding the farmers’ march since the last three days, but the latter did not respond.
“I personally made several calls to the Punjab Chief Minister but every time the request was denied. It is really unfortunate to say that this is the first time it has ever happened that one Chief Minister is trying to talk to another Chief Minister, but his counterpart is not ready to talk,” said Khattar.
Only the Chief Minister of Punjab can answer as to why he refused to talk, said Khattar, while responding to a question on the reason behind Amarinder Singh not taking his calls.
The Punjab government clearly is responsible for the ongoing farmers’ protests as the office bearers of the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office are leading the protests, Khattar said, when asked about his opinion on whether the farmers’ march looks like a political conspiracy of the Punjab government.
He said the farmers of Haryana did not participate in this march, for which he also thanked them.
Appreciating Haryana Police for dealing with the march, the Chief Minister said that the police showed restraint and did not use any force.
The state police only tried to stop the farmers from unjustifiably marching towards Delhi in such large numbers, he added.
IANS