‘Annadatas on Road’: AAP Urges Centre To Talk To Protesting Farmers

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar on Sunday expressed concern over farmers protesting at the Shambhu border, terming it as “saddening” to see “Annadatas” (food providers) in such a condition.

Kakkar accused the BJP-led central government of making false promises to farmers and preventing them from protesting. She urged the BJP-led central government to hold talks with farmers to address their concerns.

Speaking to ANI, the AAP National Spokesperson said, “It’s saddening that our ‘Annadatas’ are on roads. The BJP made them false promises. Farmers are being stopped from protesting. The BJP-govt should talk to the farmers.”

Earlier today, police deployed tear gas at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border to disperse farmers who began their ‘Dilli Chalo’ march. Police and protesting farmers got into a verbal altercation and drone footage showed police blocking the farmers at the border.

According to Haryana Police, the group of farmers moving ahead did not match the list of 101 farmers they were given who were scheduled to participate in today’s march.

“We will first identify them (farmers) and then we can allow them to go ahead. We have a list of the names of 101 farmers, and they are not those people – they are not letting us identify them – they are moving ahead as a mob,” said a Haryana police official deployed at the site.

Police said that the farmers did not have permission to move towards Delhi.

A protesting farmer at the Shambhu border said that they were requesting the police to allow them to move ahead, as they have identity cards.

“The list they (police) have is wrong – the list doesn’t have the names of farmers coming here. We have asked them (the police) to let us move ahead and we will show them our identity cards. Police are saying that we (farmers) don’t have permission to move ahead – so why do we have to prove our identity?… We are trying to sort things out through dialogues – but anyhow we will move ahead. I told them (police) to go to Haryana as this is the land of Punjab,” he said.

Earlier today, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that a ‘Jattha’ of 101 farmers would march at noon towards Delhi.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Patiala had issued a memorandum cautioning the media against interfering in farmers’ matters, citing a specific incident on December 6, that violated statutory provisions, and urging media persons to maintain a safe distance while fulfilling their responsibilities. (ANI)