Why govt talking if farmers have Maoist and Khalistan links: Chidambaram
Terming farmers' protest political insult to food-growers of the country: Congress
New Delhi, Dec 13: The Congress Sunday said it was wrong to say that the farmers' protest is limited to states like Punjab and Haryana only, and added that terming the agitation "political" is an insult to the food-growers of the country.
Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also said the Modi government should shed its "arrogance" and follow the Raj Dharma by withdrawing these "black laws" as they "threaten" the farming sector and the livelihood of farmers.
"This is not a fight only for the livelihoods and the lives of 62 crore farmers, but for the 120 crore people who eat what the farmers produce. To term the protests political is a big insult to the food-growers of the country. The Modi government should shed arrogance and follow the Raj Dharma," he said.
"It is wrong to say that the farmers' agitation is limited to Punjab and Haryana. The entire country is affected by these three black agri laws. In Madhya Pradesh, due to decrease in the business volume at the mandis, the tax collection of the board in one year has gone down from Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 220 crore," Surjewala also said in a tweet in Hindi.
Citing a media report, he said 47 mandis and 298 sub-mandis have been closed in Madhya Pradesh alone after the farm laws were enacted.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram also took a swipe at the government saying if it was terming the protesters Khalistanis, Maoists and agents of Pakistan and China, then why was it engaging them in talks.
"Ministers have described the protesters against the farm laws as Khalistanis; agents of Pakistan and China; Maoists; and, the latest, tukde tukde gang.
"If you exhaust all these categories, it means there are no farmers among the thousands of protesters. If there are no farmers, why is the government talking to them," he asked on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit out at the government over rising petrol prices, alleging the money earned from the tax on petrol is going in the Central Vista project, on buying a new aircraft for the prime minister and on promotional advertisements.
Ministers have described the protesters against the Farm Laws as Khalistanis; agents of Pakistan and China; Maoists; and, the latest, tukde tukde gang
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 13, 2020
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
