New Delhi/ Karnal: A lathi charge was carried out against farmers at the Gharaunda toll plaza in Karnal, prompting farmers to call for a road block in the state, and drawing sharp criticism from Opposition.
According to Samyukt Kisan Morcha, farmers were gathering to protest against the visit of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and other BJP leaders who were visiting Karnal. Jai Kisan Andolan Chief Yogendra Yadav said farmers wanted to show black flags to the leaders, but they were not allowed and force was used against them.
Several highways in Haryana were blocked by farmers in protest to the action, after a call was given by Darshan Pal from Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Gurnam Singh Charuni of Bharatiya Kisan Union, and other farmer leaders called for it.
As photographs and videos of farmers injured in the lathi charge flooded social media, it drew strong criticism from the Opposition.
Congress leaders slam Haryana govt over lathi charge on farmers
New Delhi:Congress leaders on Saturday condemned the lathi charge on farmers in Haryana's Karnal, where they had gathered to protest against a visit of Chief Minister ML Khattar.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, in a post on Facebook, slammed the BJP government in Haryana over the action.
"Farmers work hard to provide us crops... The BJP government gets them beaten up and makes them bleed. Each strike is going to be a nail in BJP's coffin," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi.
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala called it an attack on every 'Hariyanvi'.
"The farmers' blood flowing on the roads will be remembered by generations to come," Surjewala said in a tweet.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha has given a call to block all roads in Haryana till 5 pm on Saturday to protest against the lathi charge. According to Dr. Darshan Pal of SKM, farmers were gathering at the Gharaunda toll plaza in Haryana to stage a peaceful protest against Chief Minister ML Khattar's Haryana visit.
Farmers have been protesting against BJP leaders in the state as a part of protests against the new farm laws.(UNI)