Farmers' protest: Shiv Sena terms use of water cannons on agitators 'cruel' amid cold wave in north India

Mumbai: Shiv Sena on Monday slammed the BJP-led government’s approach to protesting farmers, adding it was “cruel” to use water cannons on them amid a cold wave sweeping parts of north India. The farmers have been protesting at Delhi’s borders since five days against the new farm laws and have said they will not accept any conditional dialogue. They also said they would block all five entry points to the National Capital. “Our farmers are being treated as terrorists and attacked on Delhi borders while terrorists are killing our soldiers on the border in Kashmir,” an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said. The Sena singled out Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar for claiming a Khalistani link in the protests. “BJP wants to create anarchy. Khalistan is a closed chapter for which Indira Gandhi and General Arunkumar Vaidya laid down their lives,” it said. “The government is using all its might to crush political opponents but why is this determination not seen while dealing with the country’s enemies,” it asked. In the last one month, 11 soldiers from Maharashtra died while fighting enemies on the borders, the Sena said. Referring to the giant statue of Sardar Patel “erected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah” in Gujarat, the editorial said Patel was also a leader of farmers and led many farmers’’ agitation against the British. “His statue’s eyes must be moist now seeing how farmers are being treated,” it said. Central agencies like ED and CBI are being used as weapons against political opponents, the Sena said. “These agencies should also get a chance to display their valour,” it said and suggested that (personnel of) ED and CBI should be deployed in Ladakhand Kashmir to help the Army fight India’s enemies.