Do not create border 'between Punjab and India': Mann on barbed wire, nails laid by Haryana govt
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday accused the Haryana government of creating a border «between Punjab and India», referring to the concrete blocks, nails and barbed wire placed on some roads to scuttle the farmers' proposed 'Delhi Chalo' march. He said the Manohar Khattar-led Haryana government has placed as much barbed wire at the state's borders with Punjab as there is at the country's border with Pakistan.
Khattar, however, justified the steps taken by his government to seal the state's borders and stop Punjab farmers from marching towards the national capital, saying the arrangements are aimed at maintaining law and order.
Haryana authorities have sealed the state's border with Punjab at Shambhu near Ambala district, placing concrete blocks, sandbags, barbed wire and anti-riot vehicles on the roads going towards Delhi. Elaborate arrangements have been made at the state's borders with Punjab in Jind and Fatehabad districts as well.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have announced that more than 200 farm unions would march to Delhi on February 13 to press the Centre to accept several demands, including the enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Addressing a gathering in Tarn Taran, Mann urged the Centre to accept the genuine demands of the farmers. «What are they doing in Haryana? They are laying nails and barbed wire at the Punjab-Haryana borders,» he said, expressing displeasure over the arrangements made by Haryana
