I don’t support lathi-charge on farmers, says union minister Balyan

Union minister of state for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying Sanjeev Balyan said the farmers need to be patient while dealing with the issue of minimum support price (MSP) demand for crops.

While addressing a press conference, Balyan said he does not support lathi-charge on farmers and he did not know the exact reasons why police resorted to it on farmers protesting in Kurukshetra’s Shahabad while demanding purchase of sunflower on MSP.

“The farmers also need to realise that blocking a road is not a solution to any problem. Farmers who had protested for more than 13 months against the repealed farm laws are now supporting the same laws. We are concerned for farmers and never resorted to cane-charge on farmers who sat at Delhi borders,” said the Union minister.

Commenting on former governor Satya Pal Malik, Balyan said he never spoke on the issues of soldiers, youths and farmers when he was holding the position of the governor.

“Malik was the only politician who had joined the Congress during the emergency. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been defaming the nation by speaking against the country on foreign soil. People of India do not take him seriously and that’s why he speaks on foreign land,” Balyan added.