New Delhi: Delhi Police on Friday resorted to lathi-charge and firing of tear gas shells as they tried to quell a mob of "hundreds of villagers" at the Delhi-Haryana's Singhu border where agitating farmers came under an attack by the locals, who wanted the area to be cleared immediately.
The Congress on the other hand has called the "villagers as thugs" mobilised by the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
According to reports, a group of some 200 people arrived at the farmers protest site and demanded the area to be vacated by the agitators who have been at the site for more than two months.
New Drama by BJP & Godi Media todayBJP has mobilized some of it's thugs & sent them to Singhu BorderThese thugs are getting violent against the protesting Farmers Godi Media has been told to call these thugs as "Locals"BJP & Modi's desperation is evident.#IndiaVsPMModi— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) January 29, 2021
New Drama by BJP & Godi Media todayBJP has mobilized some of it's thugs & sent them to Singhu BorderThese thugs are getting violent against the protesting Farmers Godi Media has been told to call these thugs as "Locals"BJP & Modi's desperation is evident.#IndiaVsPMModi
The people asked the farmers to clear the spot alleging that their presence was creating trouble.
After heated argument, the locals started attacking the tents of the farmers. Following this there was stone pelting between the two groups.
The Delhi Police and the security personnel deployed at the Singhu border had to resort to firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd at the protest site.
The police also resorted to lathi-charge to control the mob. According to Delhi Police sources, several people have been detained.
The latest scuffle at Singhu border came a day after Kisan leader Rakesh Tikait alleged that people led by local BJP MLA were planning to target the farmers. Tikait on Thursday said he wanted to peacefully surrender before the officials. He however changed his mind fearing that protesting farmers will be attacked by members of the BJP after his arrest.
At one time, Tikait in fact was in tears and vowed to remain at the site till the 03 farm laws are repealed. A number of farmers protesting at Delhi-Ghazipur border had vacated the site after the Red Fort incident on Republic Day. The farmers however returned to Ghazipur border site after Tikait's speech went viral on the social media.
Meanwhile, Congress has accused the BJP of moblising its members for the attack on farmers at Singh border.
"New Drama by BJP & Godi Media today. BJP has mobilized some of it's thugs & sent them to Singhu Border. These thugs are getting violent against the protesting Farmers. Godi Media has been told to call these thugs as "Locals"..." Srivatsa, former Congress Media Cell Chief and Youth Congress Incharge, wrote on Twitter.
"BJP & Modi's desperation is evident", he further wrote.
Reacting on the Singhu border attack, Congress leader and Punjab Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said the hooliganism by the BJP supporters in the presence of police has resulted in the democratic norms being butchered.
"At first, the Union government branded the agitating farmers as urban naxals, terrorists and Khalistanis in order to stifle the voices emanating from all over the country against the draconian farm laws and when these tactics didn't work then the BJP has stooped to an all-time low of intimidating the farmers through its hoodlums," the Congress leader said in a statement.
Patting the farmers on their back, the Minister congratulated them for exhibiting restraint till now thereby winning the hearts of common masses and on the other hand foiling the nefarious designs of the Centre.
"The Central government is indulging in sheer demonstration of muscle power using the local people as pawns," added Randhawa.
The BJP has so far not commented on these allegations.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana have been protesting at the Singhu border since November 26 last year demanding the repealing of three farm laws. Things came to an anti-climax for the farmers after their Republic Day vandalism during tractor rally that culminated with a near siege of the Red Fort.
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