A clash broke out between farmers and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers in Punjab's Ferozepur on Wednesday, 10 November, while party leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal was in the constituency for a rally, reports said.
SAD has alleged that farmers attacked a party SUV in the convoy, while the latter claimed that party workers tried to mow down some farmers unsuccessfully and also fired shots in the air.
One farmer was injured in the clash on Wednesday after reportedly being flung from the bonnet of a vehicle in the convoy. He and another farmer had climbed up on the vehicle in an attempt to stop it from leaving.
What Had Happened?
On Wednesday, Badal was in Ferozepur for campaigning and farmers had gathered at the venue, reportedly to question her about SAD's initial support for the Union government's farm laws as well as the general welfare of the farmer community.
Jagmohan Singh, general secretary, Bhartiya Kisan Union-Ekta (Dakonda), told The Hindu that farmers were protesting peacefully and only wanted to meet the former Union minister to get some answers. Singh alleged that the farmers had been assured that she would meet them after the event, but they were not eventually allowed to do so.
While Badal had already left from the venue, the farmers attempted to stop a vehicle carrying SAD leader Vardev Mann aka Nonni and former SAD MLA Joginder Jindu and register their protest.
What Do the Farmers Say Happened?
According to the farmers, when they tried to stop the vehicle and two of them climbed atop the bonnet, it kept moving and slowly increased the speed.
"When two of us sat on the bonnet of car in protest trying to stop the vehicle from leaving without answering our questions, they started driving the car and slowly speed was also increased," farmer leader Harnek Singh Mehma, who was one of them, told The Indian Express.
According to him, Darshan Singh, who was also on the bonnet, fell off the vehicle and fractured his ribs, while a teenage girl and a woman in her 50s also got injured.
Additionally, Mehma claimed that SAD leaders fired multiple times from the vehicle but no one was hurt.
"As we gathered, SAD leaders tried to hit us deliberately. In an attempt to save ourselves, I and a few others jumped on the bonnet of Mann’s car that dragged us to a distance. At least seven rounds were fired but we survived,” Mehma reportedly told the media.
In the aftermath of the incident, general secretary of the BKU (Ekta Ugharan) Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said farmers will hold a protest march in Ferozepur on Thursday and demand that a case of attempt to murder be registered against the SAD leaders, reported Hindustan Times.
Further, Buta Singh Burjgill, president of BKU (Dakaunda) termed the incident "Lakhimpur-like", saying that SAD goons tried to run over farmers but they were fortunate and escaped.
"However, our workers got injured in this incident. All we wanted to ask questions to Harsimrat which is our right," he told The Indian Express.
What Have SAD Leaders Said?
Vardev Mann, one of the SAD leaders who was present inside the vehicle that he said was trailing Badals', said that a group of farmers led by Mehma attacked his SUV, smashing it and also fired several rounds.
"My personal security officer, a Punjab Police constable, had to open fire in the air in self-defence,” Mann claimed, according to Hindustan Times.
Meanwhile, Badal alleged that Congress-backed people masquerading as farmers were behind the attack and it was them who fired at the two SAD leaders, reported The Hindu. She added that the party has proof to back their allegation up.
According to SAD, Congress MLA Parminder Singh Pinki had sent the Congress "goons" in order to cause disruption.
Badal also named the Congress leaders the SAD thinks are behind the incident – Municipal Council president Rinku Grover, councilor Parminder Handa and Market Committee vice president Balbir Singh Virk, reported The Indian Express.
“In case the police administration does not take action in the case, the SAD would do so once its government is formed in the state next year,” she added.
Badal has asked CM Charanjit Singh Channi to intervene in the case, while SAD chief Sukhbr Singh Badal has asked the CM to have a criminal case registered against the Congress leaders allegedly involved.
What Have the Cops Said?
Purported videos of Wednesday's chaos have emerged on social media, one which shows two protesters sitting on a bonnet of a car and another which shows protesters attacking an SUV with wooden sticks.
Ferozepur SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans said that the police are aware of the incidents and the allegations.
"We need to verify all the facts through video footage so as to file criminal cases against the culprits. As of now, allegations are being levelled by one group against the other. We are investigating the case and will soon come to a conclusion," he added, according to The Indian Express.
Hans added that as this is a serious matter, he is personally looking into the case. He also said that it is too early to comment on any firing that may have occurred, reported Hindustan Times.
A case will be registered after the various allegations are verified, he added.
(With inputs from The Hindu, Hindustan Times, and The Indian Express.)
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