Centre treating farmers as 'enemy of State', alleges Harsimrat Kaur Badal
Badal had resigned from the Union Cabinet in September
New Delhi, Nov 26: The central government is treating farmers as "enemy of the State", SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal alleged on Thursday, condemning the use of force to stop them from marching towards Delhi in protest against the Centre's farm laws.
Badal had resigned from the Union Cabinet in September in protest against three farm sector bills, which later got the President's assent after being passed by Parliament. She was the Union minister for food processing industries.
The Centre should not adopt a policy of confrontation with farmers. It should instead talk with them and resolve their grievances, Badal told PTI.
"Using force against farmers on Constitution Day has turned the day a 'black day' for 'annadattas' of the country," the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader said.
"The BJP-led central government is treating farmers as an enemy of the State. We witnessed the same treatment when Punjabis were stopped from going to Delhi during the Asiad Games. Such repressive tactics can have very dangerous repercussions as we have seen in the past," Badal said.
Badal's remarks come after tension spiralled at the Shambhu interstate border on Thursday as the Haryana police used water cannons and teargas to disperse hundreds of farmers from Punjab who broke barricades, throwing some into the river, determined to enter the state as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' march against the farm laws.
"Farmers' voices stifled, water cannons used on annadata!" she tweeted and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to let farmers march on peacefully to convey their issues to the Centre in Delhi.
Badal said she is shocked and pained with the way in which farmers are being treated.
Days after Badal's resignation, her party also moved out of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the farm laws issue.
SAD was one of the founding partners of the NDA and had a long association with the BJP from its precursor, Jan Sangh days.
Murder of democracy on #ConstitutionDay!
— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) November 26, 2020
Farmers' voices stifled, water canons used on annnadata! I appeal to PM @narendramodi ji to direct Hry CM @mlkhattar ji to let our farmers' march on peacefully to convey their issues to Centre in Delhi. I stand in solidarity with them.
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4 workers die after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad
Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.
The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.
The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.
They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.
Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.
