"Kejriwal de ishareya te nachda": Union Minister Bittu tears into Punjab CM over detention of farmers

New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): As the Centre continues to hold talks with the farmers in Punjab, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu slammed the Bhagwant Mann government in the state over the detention of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, saying that the people of Punjab would "not allow" the Chief Minister to enter any village.
Accusing Mann of working at Kejriwal's behest, he alleged the Punjab CM was "putting farmers at stake" to remain in power.
"Tu (Mann) sirf Kejriwal de ishareya te nachda (You only do what Kejriwal says). You put the entire Punjab and farmers at stake just to remain in power. You'll see that nothing will happen to Kejriwal, but the people of Punjab will not allow you to enter any village," Bittu said.
Speaking about his conversation with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Bittu said that the central ministers were shocked to hear that action was being taken against farmers with whom they "positively" concluded the talks.
"I was just having a conversation with Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Piyush Goyal, and they informed me that we concluded the seventh round of meeting with farmers on a positive note. However, they were shocked to hear what has happened," he added.
Condemning the Punjab government's action against protesting farmers, Bittu said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state should be "ashamed" since they don't want the talks between centre and farmers to conclude.
"I condemn this action of the Punjab government. They voted for you (AAP government), and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann should be ashamed. They (the AAP government) did not want a solution to be found through talks between the central government and the farmers. You detained farmers just to win the Ludhiana West by-election," the Union Minister said.
Earlier, Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi lambasted the government over the detention of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, saying that Punjab was going through "tragic times". Apprising about Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he added that the farming community was "under attack" as part of a "conspiracy".
Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab over the "arrest" of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, who remain firm on various demands including legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops.
Several farmer leaders were detained by the police, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who remains on an indefinite fast, and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher.
Farmer leader and national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Rakesh Tikait, condemned the Punjab government's action and said, "On one hand, the government is negotiating with the farmer organizations and on the other hand, it is arresting them." (ANI)