Chandigarh, Sep 15 (PTI) The SAD on Wednesday condemned the Haryana BJP for trying to defame the ongoing farmers' agitation by accusing it of encouraging drug addiction in the state.
In a statement here, SAD Kisan wing president Sikander Singh Maluka said, The BJP has been trying to defame the Kisan Sangharsh from day one. Earlier the peacefully agitating farmers were accused of being anti-national and even terrorists.
When this characterisation was not accepted by the people, an even more sinister conspiracy was initiated to paint them as being responsible for spreading drug addiction in Haryana, he said.
Stating that Haryana should get its own house in order before defaming the hard-working farmers of Punjab and the 'Kisan Andolan', the SAD farmer wing leader condemned Haryana BJP President O P Dhankar for making mischievous allegations against the farmers' movement.
This is nothing but a ploy for an eventual clamp down on the movement agaunst the three central farm laws, he said while asking Dhankar to stop spreading enmity in the farming community by singling out Punjab farmers as villains.
Haryana BJP chief O P Dhankar on Tuesday had said due to the ongoing farmers' agitation, industries in Haryana's Bahadurgarh, Rai, Kundli and Jhajjar have suffered heavily.
He had claimed that a by-product of this agitation is an increase in drug addiction in areas including Jhajjar, Rohtak and Sonipat where the farmer agitation is concentrated.
I come from Jhajjar district. In my area, drug addiction has increased. Ever since this agitation started there, village panchayats are meeting me and telling me that addiction has increased and they urge to get it stopped. This increase in addiction cases is a by-product of this agitation. In Rohtak and Sonipat too, it has increased, Dhankar had said.
