Amid ‘Delhi Chalo’ farmers march, Punjab & Haryana CM engage in Twitter spat

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday engaged in a war of words over farmers protest march towards Delhi against Centre’s farm laws.

While Singh slammed Khattar for stopping farmers from moving towards the national capital, terming it as “totally undemocratic and unconstitutional”, the latter told the Punjab chief minister to stop “inciting innocent farmers”.

Singh took to Twitter for lashing out at his counterpart in Haryana after farmers were stopped from entering the state to move towards Delhi. Haryana has completely sealed its borders with Punjab to prevent farmers from entering the state for their protest march.

“Why is @mlkhattar govt in Haryana stopping the farmers from moving to Delhi? The tyrannical use of brute force against peacefully protesting farmers is totally undemocratic and unconstitutional,” said Singh in a tweet.

For nearly 2 months farmers have been protesting peacefully in Punjab without any problem. Why is Haryana govt provoking them by resorting to force? Don’t the farmers have the right to pass peacefully through a public highway? @mlkhattar pic.twitter.com/NWyFwqOXEu

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) November 26, 2020

He said farmers have been peacefully protesting in Punjab against the farm laws for two months.

It’s a sad irony that on #ConstitutionDay2020 the constitutional right of farmers is being oppressed in this manner. Let them pass @mlkhattar ji, don’t push them to the brink. Let them take their voice to Delhi peacefully. pic.twitter.com/48P0rvILVU

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) November 26, 2020

Shortly after Singh lambasted him, Khattar sternly told the Punjab chief minister to stop “inciting innocent farmers”.

Khattar asked Singh to desist from misleading farmers, highlighting that he has already pledged to quit politics if the Minimum Support Price mechanism is ever dismantled.

“@Capt Amarinder Ji, I’ve said it earlier and I’m saying it again, I’ll leave politics if there’ll be any trouble on the MSP—therefore, please stop inciting innocent farmers,” Khattar tweeted.