Chandigarh, 22 February
Punjab Cabinet Minister Mr. Harbhajan Singh ETO on Thursday expressed outrage over the alleged killing of young farmer Shubhkaran Singh by Haryana Police and demanded immediate action from the Union government.
Minister ETO condemned the actions of the Haryana Police, stating, “It is deeply troubling that Haryana Police resorted to violence against farmers at a particular time when their leadership was in a meeting to consider the Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Arjun Munda’s invitation for talks.
The Minister said that the farmers of the world’s largest democracy have the democratic right to peacefully protest for their legitimate demands. He emphasized that attempts to divide Punjab’s farmers from the rest of the country could endanger the stability of the region. “The farmers’ demands are not regional, but represent concerns of farmers nationwide,” he said while adding, “The Haryana government’s tactics to stop the farmers at the Punjab-Haryana border are blatant abuses of power.”
The incidents at the Shambhu and Khinauri border, where farmers are being prevented from reaching Delhi, exposed the heavy-handed tactics being used by the Haryana government to suppress farmer protests and this raises concerns about the safety and rights of farmers of Haryana also, said Mr. ETO.
Cabinet Minister ETO affirmed the Punjab government’s commitment to the welfare of farmers under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. He expressed condolences to the family of the deceased farmer and stated, “The Punjab government stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and will provide all possible assistance.”
