Farmers' protest has turned into political event: Haryana minister

Gurugram, Feb 4 Haryana Home and Health Minister Anil Vij on Thursday said that the protests against the new farm laws have now turned into a political event as leaders cutting across party lines have started joining the agitation.

"The ongoing farmers' protests have now been converted into a political event. Everyone has a democratic right to protest in their interest but in a peaceful manner," said the Minister at an event that marked the beginning of the second Covid vaccination drive in Gurugram.

Vij, while pointing to the "politics behind the agitation", assured that the Haryana government is willing to talk to the farmers' unions on the issue.

"The matter can only be sorted out through dialogue," he added.

The Minister also urged the protesting farmers to stay away from the rumours and misinformation being spread by motivated groups.

He urged them to cancel their road blockade programmes on Saturday across the state, as the commuters might face difficulties.

Hinting at the involvement of the Punjabi singer- cum-activist in the farmers agitation who had claimed that some political parties had meet him, Vij said: "If Sidhu has said the political parties are in touch with him, so it is possible that they had met him".

"The ideologies of a few people, who are misleading our farmers from behind the scenes, I would say the farmers must come forward and sort out the matter," the Minister said.

( With inputs from IANS )