Bharatiya Janata Party MP Arvind Sharma threatened the Congress and its leader Deepender Hooda on Saturday, a day after former Haryana minister Manish Grover was surrounded by farmers in Rohtak district, reported ANI.
“Listen Congress party and Deepender Hooda, if anyone dares to look at Manish Grover, we will gouge their eyes out,” he said. “And if someone raises their hands [against Grover], we will chop the hands off.”
Ha added that the Congress would “run in circles for 25 years” while the BJP will continue to rule.
The BJP MP made the statement at a public event in Rohtak, reported PTI.
In Haryana, farmers are holding protests at events attended by BJP leaders and members of the saffron party’s ally in the state, the Jannayak Janata Party.
This is a part of the farmers’ larger protest in which thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been agitating at Delhi’s border points since November 2020, seeking the withdrawal of the farm laws passed last September.
On Friday, Grover and other BJP leaders had gathered at the temple to watch the live telecast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech during his Uttarakhand visit, reported The Times of India. As news of the BJP leaders visiting the temple spread, farmers protesting at nearby toll plazas and villagers gathered around the temple.
Police forces were deployed and senior police officials from Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonipat districts also arrived at the spot. They formed a human wall around the temple to stop protestors from entering.
All India Kisan Sabha chief of Rohtak Preet Singh said farmer groups had warned BJP leaders against holding public events.
“Grover and his party men never visit the local grain market where farmers have been struggling to sell their paddy crop but find time to visit temples for the sake of their politics,” he said.
The protesting farmers then demanded an apology from the former minister for ignoring their call.
Hours later, Grover came outside the temple with hands folded, which the farmers saw as a gesture of apology, according to The Times of India. But, after leaving the temple Grover denied apologising.
He said that he had folded his hands to greet the farmers. “If needed, I will not hesitate in visiting the Kiloi Shiv temple again,” Grover added.
Other leaders who were inside the temple included, party’s organisation secretary of Andhra Pradesh Ravindra Raju, Rohtak Mayor Manmohan Goyal, BJP district chief Ajay Bansal and party leader Satish Nandal. reported NDTV.
Also read:
Haryana: Farmers protest against BJP MP after he calls them ‘jobless alcoholics’
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