Will make efforts to open Shambhu border: Hooda in Ambala
Hooda vows to reopen Shambhu border for farmers if Congress wins, criticizing BJP's handling of protests and promising legal MSP guarantees.
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda on Monday said the Congress government, after poll victory, would make efforts to open the Shambhu border for the farmers that has been closed since February when the protesting farmers were stopped by security forces during their march to Delhi in support of their several demands.
Hooda was in Ambala City to address a poll rally in the presence of state president Udai Bhan, Ambala MP Varun Chaudhary and his wife Pooja Chaudhary, who is also candidate from Mullana seat, Ambala City candidate Nirmal Singh, Yamunanagar candidate Raman Tyagi and others were present.
Congress’ national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was to chair his first poll rally in the state gave it a miss, so did candidates from Selja group of Ambala, including Shalley Chaudhary (Naraingarh) and Parvinder Pari (Ambala Cantt).
Party leaders said Kharge, who was also scheduled to attend another rally in Gharaunda seat of Karnal, was advised by doctors to avoid travelling and take rest due to health concerns.
Regarding the closure of Shambhu border that has hindered the vehicular movement between Haryana and Punjab and also affected the businesses on both sides, Hooda promised to open the border that has been closed since February, when the farmers seeking legal guarantee for the MSP were marching towards the national capital and were stopped by security forces.
Hitting out at the BJP, he said, “The saffron party has no faith in the democracy. It first imposed three anti-farmer laws and then used lathis and fired bullets on farmers, when they opposed those laws. Roads were dug to stop farmers and even now the Haryana government has stopped the farmers at Shambhu border. Due to this, traders are also suffering losses.”
He said the Congress, after assuming power in Haryana, would not only open the Shambhu border but also grant legal guarantee on the MSP.
Congress state president Udai Bhan said, “We have to take answers from the BJP as to why they stopped the farmers at the (Singhu) border for 13 months. Who is responsible for the martyrdom of 750 farmers? Now, farmers are stopped at the Shambhu border and attacked with drones and rubber bullets.”
He also referred to the death of young farmer Shubhkaran. Regarding wrestlers’ protest, he said they had not got justice.
Later, Hooda and Bhan also addressed a rally in Gharaunda to make an appeal of votes for party candidates Virender Rathore (Gharaunda), Sumita Singh (Karnal) and Rakesh Kamboj (Indri).
The statements come a day after BJP candidate Anil Vij (Ambala Cantt) and Pawan Saini (Naraingarh) faced farmers’ ire during their campaigning. On Sunday, farmers under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha held a ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ in Pipli of Kurukshetra and asked people to defeat the BJP in the elections. They also decided to hold a ‘rail roko’ protest on October 3 in the country in support of their demands.
The two farmer groups have been spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by farmers to press the government to accept their demands and have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 when their march was stopped by security forces.
The Shambhu blockade, which was challenged before the Punjab and Haryana high court, is now up before the Supreme Court that on September 2 constituted a high-powered committee headed by former Punjab and Haryana high court justice Nawab Singh to amicably resolve the grievances of protesting farmers.
Reports suggest that the committee has now invited the protesting farmer unions for discussion, but the farmers are yet to take a call.
