Amarinder accuses AAP of orchestrating attack on Bittu, Zira at Singhu border

Tribune News Service
Patiala, January 25

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh blamed the recent attack on a state Congress MP and MLA at Singhu Border on rival Aam Aadmi Party, implying that the party was in cahoots with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to “weaken the farmers’ protest”.

“Farmers had been protesting peacefully at the Delhi border for two months without resorting to any such acts,” a press release quoted him as saying. He added that AAP workers present near the Kisan Sansad had attacked and manhandled Punjab Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and MLA Kulbir Singh Zira.

 “AAP is camping there,” he said, asserting that “No one but AAP is responsible for the attack. “Farmers are not responsible,” he added.

“They (AAP) should understand, however, that this country is thriving on ‘lokshahi’ (democracy) and not ‘dhakashahi’ (push and shove),” he told the press on the sidelines of various events here in Patiala.

Intelligence reports indicate that AAP workers had intermingled with farmers and assaulted the Congress leaders, the Chief Minister said later, adding that the AAP’s desperate attempts to undermine him and his government in Punjab were becoming more and more brazen by the day.

“After their efforts to spread false propaganda and lies about the Congress government in Punjab had failed to mislead the farmers, they had resorted to violence against Bittu and Zira, he said.

The farmers had no reason to assault the Punjab Congress leaders, Captain Amarinder said, adding that “such tactics would not help AAP drive a wedge between his government and the farmers, which they have been trying to do for months now at the bidding of Arvind Kejriwal, who is clearly dancing to the BJP leadership’s tune.”