Vested interests hijacking stir, Centre must act fast: MP Bittu

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 1

Congress MP from Ludhiana Ravneet Singh Bittu today said the ongoing farmers’ agitation was being hijacked by people with vested interests. He urged the government to immediately resolve matters at hand and asked Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and take control of the situation.

“The agitation has gone out of control. My appeal to farmer leaders is to get its hold back. All kinds of undesirable elements have entered the protests,” Bittu said while taking to The Tribune.

He said people “whose protests have failed in the past – be it those who sat at Shaheen Bagh or a section of students who protested against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and also some Khalistani elements have penetrated the ongoing protests.”

Terming the current agitation “leaderless”, Bittu said he was concerned that the situation “might flare up unless immediately controlled.”

“In Punjab, where the farmers were on agitation for long, the state government ensured law and order and did not allow the protests to get diluted. But here around Delhi, undesirable elements have come. They have set up platforms independent of farmers whose protests and concerns are genuine. The situation is getting volatile as attempts are being made to exploit the protests. I urge Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene,” the MP said.

“The Centre can take the help of Punjab Government if needed, but it must take note of the situation brewing on the ground,” Bittu said, adding that “anyone can spoil this agitation.”

He urged the Centre to consider a rollback of the farm laws in the interest of farmer community.