Protesters unload dung-laden trolley at BJP ex-minister’s house

The protests against the farm laws turn unsavory in Punjab Friday with a group of people unloading a dung-laden trolley in front of a BJP leader’s house in Hoshiarpur, prompting Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to warn the agitators not to take law in their hands while stating that such actions went against the spirit of ‘Punjabiyat’.

A group, believed to be farmers, unloaded the trolley inside the main entrance to residence of former Punjab minister Tikshan Sud. They also raised slogans against the Centre for its alleged callous attitude towards farmers’ demands.

Meanwhile, some BJP supporters reached the spot. Hoshiarpur SSP Navjot Singh Mahal said that a violent clash between the BJP workers and the protesters was averted following an intervention by a DSP-led police team. He said a case has been registered under section 452 (trespassing) and 506 (criminal Intimidation) against unidentified persons.

Some BJP led by Sud staged a dharna on the Rai Bahadur Jodhamal road in Hoshiarpur, seeking action against those responsible for it.

Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma condemned the incident. Sharma said some mischievous persons under the garb of farmers “attacked” Sud’s residence, only to disturb peace and brotherhood in the state.

Taking a serious note of the incident, Amarinder said invasion of privacy will bring a bad name to the peaceful agitation of farmers and defeat its very objective and warned protesters not to take law in their hands in their fight for the farmers’ rights.

In a statement, the CM condemned such behaviour and appealed to the protestors not to cause any harassment or inconvenience to families of political functionaries of any party.

“After months of showing exemplary restraint, and not indulging in any violence or lawlessness in Punjab, as well as at the borders of the national capital, some protestors were losing restraint despite being categorically asked by Kisan leaders to keep the protests peaceful,” said Amarinder. He urged the protesters to express their solidarity with the farmers in the same spirit of self-discipline as had been demonstrated so far by farmer organizations and lakhs of their supporters.

The CM warned that such attempts at forcible entry into the houses of any political functionaries, or picketing of their homes, had the dangerous potential of vitiating the atmosphere of peace and destroy the harmony amongst people of diverse castes, religions, communities, which was contrarian to the Punjabi spirit of harmony and unity. “Politics has its own place, but we must keep the spirit of Punjabiyat alive,” he said.

Urging the protestors to keep faith in the farmers’ leaders engaged in talks with the central government, Amarinder said any acts of harassment or violence were violative of the spirit of their democratic to protest peacefully. “Traumatisation of the families of political leaders or workers through such acts could also lead to a law and order problem in Punjab, which had achieved the distinction of being one of the most peaceful states in the country in the past few years,” he added.