New Delhi: In Ferozepur, protesting farmers claimed on Wednesday that a car that was part of a convoy ferrying Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders ‘attacked’ them, while the party’s leaders made counter-allegations against the farmers.
According to Indian Express, the incident occurred when former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal visited the constituency for campaigning. The newspaper reported that a purported video of the incident showed two protesters sitting on a bonnet of a car that was part of the SAD convoy and the vehicle speeds away, resulting in injuries to one. Another purported video showed protestors breaking the car’s window panes with wooden sticks and bricks.
Each side accused the other of opening fire in the air and indulging in physical assault, according to news agency PTI. The police said that they were investigating the matter.
Media reports had conflicting number of people who sustained injuries, ranging from two to five.
Meanwhile, Harsimrat Kaur Badal accused some Congress workers of holding a protest against her in the garb of farmers and also attacking SAD leaders Vardev Singh Mann and Joginder Singh Jindu.
She demanded that the Congress workers be booked immediately.
According to the Tribune, groups from farmer unions and the Congress were protesting Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s visit, but at separate places.
Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), in a statement, alleged that some SAD leaders tried to run over some farmers in Ferozepur, a claim vehemently denied by the party.
SAD leader Vardev Singh Mann alias Noni denied the allegations, claiming instead that “some Congressmen under the garb of farmers” allegedly fired upon him and attacked his vehicle, which was damaged in the incident.
Mann also alleged that his gunman was thrashed and his uniform torn apart.
Local Congress leader Rinku Grover denied that his party had any role in the incident. However, he seemed to confirm the presence of Congress leaders at the spot, saying they “wanted to question the absence” of Ferozepur MP Sukhbir Badal, “who has seldom visited this constituency” after getting elected.
Ferozepur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harmandeep Singh Hans said the police had made all precautionary arrangements to prevent any untoward incident. However, the two SAD leaders took a different route without informing the police and got into a “scuffle” with farmer union members. Police are verifying the claims made by both sides and action will be taken, the SSP said.
According to Indian Express, earlier on Wednesday, farmers had gathered outside the venue of Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s campaign event near Makhu gate in Ferozepur. Farmer leader Harnek Singh Mehma said the farmes were denied permission to ask questions of the former Union minister. Subsequently, a few Youth Akali Dal workers “thrashed 2-3 farmers” in a bid to chase the group away, he said.
The farmers then decided to stage a dharna at Makhu gate. While Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s vehicle had already left the spot, the vehicle carrying Mann and former MLA Joginder Jindu was stopped by the farmers, Mehma said. “When two of us sat on the bonnet of the car in protest trying to stop the vehicle from leaving without answering our questions, they started driving the car and slowly [the] speed was also increased,” the leader told Indian Express.
To protest against the incident, BKU (Dakaunda) and 32 other farmer unions of Punjab will gather in Ferozepur on Thursday to demand criminal cases against Akali leaders.
Harsimrat Kaur Badal, meanwhile, blamed “Congress goons” backed by MLA Parminder Singh Pinki for the scuffle. She said the SAD had photographic evidence of Municipal Council president Rinku Grover, councillor Parminder Handa and Market Committee vice president Balbir Singh Virk being engaged in a protest against the SAD.
Pinki denied the allegations, saying the farmers are accusing SAD leaders Vardev Mann and Joginder Singh Jindu of attack. “I was in Chandigarh and blaming me is baseless. Congress leaders were standing at a separate dharna at a separate location and not at the spot where farmers were protesting,” he said, according to Indian Express.
(With PTI inputs)