"Actions taken by Haryana police against farmers were influenced by Delhi govt": Partap Singh Bajwa

New Delhi [India], March 7 : Punjab Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday alleged that the actions taken by Haryana police against farmers were influenced by the Delhi government.
"This Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann is taking advice from the Delhi government, whatever has been done to the farmers by the Haryana police, is the direction coming from the top," he said.
While speaking about the Punjab & Haryana High Court's order for a judicial probe into the deaths of protestors, Bajwa said that the court has expressed concerns over the Punjab police's reluctance to investigate, contrasting with the Haryana police's prompt action and request to take over the probe.
"Few days ago, on the death of a 22-year-old, I filed a Public Interest Litigation writ in the High Court and the court today passed a crucial judgement on the same. In the order, the court categorically said, especially to the Punjab government and police agencies, that they have lodged the FIR, however, the probe didn't begin. The court has also said that Punjab police are taking a step back in investigating the matter, whereas Haryana police have moved fast and want the probe to be handed over to them," he said.
Four farmers have died amid the ongoing protests. Shubhkaran Singh died of an injury to the back of his neck while protesting at the Khanauri border during the farmers' 'Dilli Chalo' protest. Another farmer died on February 24.
Farmers' organisations have been marching towards Delhi to press their various demands on the central government. Their demands to the central government include a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, and no hike in electricity tariffs.
The farmers have also called for a four-hour countrywide 'rail roko' on March 10.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) national body has given a call for the Mahapanchayat in Delhi on March 14 to highlight issues of a legal guarantee of MSP, against the electricity amendment bill, freedom from debt, old age pension, rolling back of labour codes, and other pending issues.
Giving a call to march to Delhi, the farmers have been camping at multiple points in areas bordering the national capital since February 13 along with their tractors, mini-vans, and pickup trucks, demanding, a law guaranteeing MSP (minimum support price) and the withdrawal of police cases against farmers during earlier protests.
During the last round of talks, which ended past midnight on February 18, the panel of three Union ministers made an offer to buy five crops -- moong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize, and cotton -- from farmers at MSP for five years through central agencies. However, the protesting farmers turned down the demand and returned to their protest sites.