New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) After farmers were forcefully evicted from protest sites in Punjab, the Congress has reacted strongly. Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Thursday remarked that it was brutal action against farmers which he said reminded him of the Jallianwala Bagh incident.
Speaking to IANS, Tiwari remarked, “The government’s actions in Punjab remind us of General Dyer of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, where people were mercilessly treated, it was uncalled for. The sequence of events must be understood.”
Tiwari criticised the Punjab government for its handling of the farmers’ issue. He noted that the Chief Minister initially invited the farmers to his residence for talks but later humiliated them.
“The same Chief Minister then travelled to Delhi, where he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Perhaps he took advice on how to forcibly remove protestors from borders in Delhi,” Tiwari told IANS.
According to Tiwari, this collaboration between the Punjab government and the central BJP government led to the deployment of thousands of police officers to remove a group of 700 farmers in the dead of the night using bulldozers and lathi charges.
“Among those evicted was Dallewal, who was on hunger strike and in a deteriorating condition. The police used excessive force, and this was not a peaceful or lawful way to handle the situation,” he said.
Tiwari also questioned the motives behind the Punjab government’s actions. “The government claims that this was necessary for the state’s trade and the free movement of people. While these are valid concerns, the brutal and inhumane manner in which this was carried out is unjustifiable,” he stated.
“Why wasn’t a peaceful dialogue initiated? Why wasn’t there an effort to negotiate with the farmers during the day and offer them alternatives?”
The Congress leader emphasised that while violence should never be condoned, the cruelty used against the farmers was unacceptable.
“The Punjab government should have engaged in talks during the day, offering solutions instead of resorting to violence under the cover of night,” he said.
Tiwari further stated that Congress stands firmly with the farmers and their legitimate demands. He expressed deep concern over the way the situation was handled, calling it a gross misuse of power against peaceful protestors. “Congress will continue to support the farmers and demand that their rightful concerns be addressed,” he added.
The farmer leaders were detained after they met with the Centre on Wednesday, which failed to reach a conclusive resolution. They then moved towards the Shambhu border for further protests. However, as they proceeded, their convoy was intercepted by the Punjab Police in Mohali, where they were taken into custody.
Following this, the Punjab Police launched an operation to clear out protest sites at the Khanauri and Shambhu border points, where farmers have been demonstrating against farm laws and other issues. By 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, both sites were completely vacated.
–IANS
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