Congress on Tuesday alleged that the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Haryana were deliberately conspiring to provoke and divide the farmers and demanded that three new farm laws should be immediately repealed.
Addressing a press conference here, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said water cannons were used against protesting farmers in Karnal on Tuesday.
He alleged that there was a conspiracy to put farmers and jawans against each other. "Something similar is happening in Karnal at the moment."
"When the Centre can talk with Taliban in Doha why cannot they hold discussions with farmers of the country. The farmers have been protesting peacefully at the Delhi borders for 10 months. The BJP-led government wants to sell the agricultural resources of the country. The farmers are fighting not just for themselves but for the country," he said.
Surjewala alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana was shielding those who ordered lathicharge on farmers in Karnal last month.
He said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala should resign if they cannot talk to the farmers of Haryana.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi should talk to the farmers immediately. Our demand is the Centre must repeal the black farm laws by tonight," he said.
Protesting farmers on Tuesday gathered around the mini secretariat in Karnal in support of their demands after the breakdown of talks with the district administration over their call for action against officials allegedly involved in lathicharge on August 28.
They announced that they will continue their sit-in at the mini secretariat till the government talks to them over their demands and accepts them.
"We have captured the gate and want to take some rest. It is up to the government now as to when they want to talk. We are sitting here peacefully till then," said BKU leader Rakesh Tikait.
Farmers breached police barricades as they reached the mini secretariat. Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav said the farmers will continue their protest till the government accepts their demands.
The protesting farmers had gathered at Karnal for mahapanchayat over their demands.
( With inputs from ANI )
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