Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday hit out at his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar for justifying the recent lathi charge on farmers in Karnal by saying “strictness was needed”.

Singh said the remarks of Haryana CM have exposed his government’s anti-farmer agenda and reminded that farmers protesting against BJP in Karnal are from Haryana only and not from Punjab.

The Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) tweeted that CM Capt Amarinder Singh has slammed his Haryana counterpart for defending the criminal assault on peacefully protesting farmers by putting the onus of their agitation on Punjab.

“ML Khattar’s remarks had completely exposed his government’s anti-farmer agenda,” the CMO quoted Singh as saying.

The CM reminded Haryana CM ML Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala that farmers protesting against BJP meeting in Karnal when the police rained lathis on them belonged to Haryana and not Punjab, added the Punjab CMO.

Reacting to the Punjab Chief Minister’s comments, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said, “Who is he to demand my resignation Instead, he should resign because he is behind the farmers’ agitation. Farmers protesting there (at Delhi borders) are from Punjab. Farmers from Haryana are not protesting at Singhu or Tikri border.”

“In Punjab, he (Captain Amarinder Singh) is instigating farmers and in Haryana, (Bhupinder Singh) Hooda saheb and other Congress leaders are instigating them… No one has the right to block roads indefinitely,” added Khattar.