Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has hit out at state Governor VP Singh Badnore after the latter summoned top officials of the government and the police over vandalism of mobile towers last month.
Amarinder said that the Govenor should have summoned him instead as he holds the Home portfolio and also accused the BJP of bringing a constitutional office into "unsavoury politics".
"While the propaganda of the BJP on collapse of law and order in the state was nothing more than a tactic to divert attention from the farm laws issue and the resultant farmers' agitation, if the governor nevertheless had any concerns on the situation, he should have taken up the matter directly with me as custodian of the Home Portfolio", said a statement from the Chief Minister's office.
"At a time when the very existence of our farmers is at stake, the BJP leaders are busy indulging in petty politics and also dragging the Constitutional office of the Governor into their unsavoury agenda", the statement further added.
Hundreds of mobile towers in Punjab, mostly belonging to Reliance Jio, were put out of action last month, allegedly by farmers protesting the centre's agriculture laws. Captain Singh had issued a stern warning regarding the incident and had asked the police to take action against those responsible.
"These damaged towers can be and are being repaired, but what about the lives of the farmers lost in the bitter cold at Delhi borders, where they continue to fight for their rights amid total apathy from the BJP-led government at the Centre?" asked Amarinder.
Farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been on protest over the last few weeks against three new agricultural laws introduced by the Central government.
(With inputs from NDTV)
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