Initiate talks with protesting farmers, Bhupinder Hooda tells Centre

Chandigarh, Dec 12 Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said the BJP government in the Centre should give up its rigid attitude and talk to farmers as their leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a fast unto death for the past 16 days, and his health is continuously deteriorating.

Hooda said their demands should be resolved and Dallewal's fast should be ended immediately.

Talking to the media here, Hooda said that farmers are not making any new demands, and are reminding the government of its own promise.

“This is the same promise that the government had made to the farmers while ending the farmers' movement. Farmers want a guarantee of MSP (minimum support price) and this demand is completely justified,” he said.

Hooda added that stopping farmers from going to Delhi is an anti-democratic step taken by the BJP.

“Instead of suppressing the voice of farmers, the government should find a solution through talks. In a democracy, everyone has the right to travel anywhere or express their views peacefully. But the BJP government is snatching this right from the farmers,” he added.

The two-time Chief Minister said the farmers have agreed to go to Delhi without tractors and trolleys, following the government's words. “In such a situation, stopping them is completely undemocratic.”

Commenting on the bomb blast in a Gurugram club, Hooda said that incidents like bombing “are a clear indicator of deteriorating law and order situation in the state”.

He said the BJP government in the state is in “deep slumber”, and the criminals are committing crimes fearlessly.

He said the first responsibility of every government is to protect its citizens, but ever since the BJP came to power, it has completely turned its back on its responsibility.

He further added that this is the reason why crimes are continuously increasing in Haryana, and today every Haryana resident is feeling insecure.

Source: IANS