BJP MLA from Abohar, Arun Narang, and two other party leaders were reportedly manhandled by a group of protesting farmers in Malout town on Saturday evening.
As per information, Narang had come to Malout to address a press conference against the Captain-led-Congress government. He was to highlight the shortcomings of four years of Congress government in Punjab and the benefits of the three farm laws introduced by the Modi-led-BJP government.
Meanwhile, as farmers since past six months have been protesting at the Delhi borders, and the centre government seems in no mood to withdraw the controversial farm laws, the farmers who were already waiting for Narang to reach near the BJP office in Malout, allegedly first gheraoed him, then attacked the MLA, tore his clothes and even threw black ink on him. They also reportedly blackened his car.
The videos of the incident have gone viral on social media sites, wherein police officers could be seen saving Narang from the farmers, while the angry protesters continued abusing and thrashing him.
Also, if sources are to be believed, the BJP MLA and a senior police officer received minor injuries during the incident.
In addition, the farmers also warned the party leaders to not to visit the state until the three farm laws are withdrawn. “They were shouting slogans against BJP, they burnt the BJP flags and posters. They even abused, threw ink and badly attacked the party leaders. We feel strongly feel, they were not farmers rather some goons sent by the ruling Congress. We will report the matter to higher authorities to demand a thorough investigation into the incident”, said a senior BJP leader.
BJP national general secretary Tarun chugh, said that murderous attack on BJP MLA Atul Narang has exposed complete collapse of law and order in Punjab.
In a statement he held Chief Minister Amarinder Singh squarely responsible for it and said that it looked like the Congress strategy to engineer attack on the BJP leaders on the pretext of farmers.
He said Amarinder was instigating such attacks in order to stifle the voice of the BJP. Chugh recalled how murderous attacks by Congress workers were engineered on him, Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma and many other BJP leaders.
He said it's not just reprehensible but alarming for the state. He demanded the chief minister's resignation for his failure to maintain law and order in Punjab.