Hyderabad: A farmer sustained injuries and others had a narrow escape while protesting against the three farm laws in Naraingarh near Ambala after a car tried to run them over. The protesting farmers allege that the car was a part of Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament (MP) Nayab Saini’s cavalcade.
The Ambala police have not released any statement on the issue. In his police complaint, the injured farmer, Bhawan Preet, stated that BJP’s Kurukshetra MP Nayab Saini, Haryana government’s sports minister Sandeep Singh and other party leaders were attending an event held at the Saini Bhawan in Naraingarh on Thursday morning.
The farmers reportedly reached a Dharamsala on Naraingarh-Sadhaura Road at 11 am to ‘gherao’ BJP leaders and government representatives over the refusal of the Union government to repeal farm laws, and to protest against the visit of Saini and other BJP leaders.
According to the complaint, the farmers were raising slogans on both sides of the road. Subsequently, as the event concluded and the convoy of cars exited the area, a rashly driven Innova vehicle (HR-04-F-0976) in Saini’s cavalcade drove towards a group of farmers protesting on one side of the road.
One farmer had a narrow escape, the vehicle directly hit Bhawan Preet and threw him on the other side of the road, reportedly causing him several injuries.
Furthermore, the complaint alleged that vehicle was driven by one Rajiv, resident of Berkheri village in the area. Rajiv “deliberately hit the farmer” as part of a conspiracy hatched with BJP MP Saini to teach farmers “a Lakhimpur Kheri kind of incident,” the complaint stated.
Following the event, the car driver reportedly even threatened the farmers, telling them never to protest in Naraingarh unless they want to see the area become a “second Lakhimpur.” Preet has been released from the hospital after treatment but he has been advised bed rest for a week, according to media reports.
Few days ago, at eight people were killed in violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri last week, while 15 others were injured, after Union minister Ajay Mishra’s convoy rammed into protesting farmers. Infuriated farmers set three jeeps on fire after some of the protestors were run over by the vehicles. One of the vehicles is said to belong to Ashish Mishra, Ajay Mishra Teni’s son, who is also an accused in a case that was registered after the incident.