Akali Dal Puts Poll Campaign On Hold To Avoid "Confrontation With Farmers"

Sukhbir Singh Badal warned of a "deep-rooted conspiracy" by "anti-Punjab, anti-farmer and anti-Sikh forces" to vitiate the atmosphere of peace and harmony and "engineer fratricidal bloodshed" among Punjabis.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday put his party's poll outreach campaign "Gal Punjab Di" on hold for six days and formed a committee to hold talks with farmers to reiterate the Akalis' "unflinching support" for their agitation against the Centre's three farm laws. The Shiromani Akali Dal chief said his party did "not want to come into any confrontation with the farmers". "We are with the farmers' movement and have been backing it to the hilt. We have also backed all calls given by the Samyukt (Kisan) Morcha and will continue to do so... We do not want to come into any confrontation with farmers," Mr Badal said. A group of farmers allegedly tried to force their way inside the venue of a SAD event, where Mr Badal was speaking, in Punjab's Moga district on Thursday. The police resorted to lathi-charge and used water cannons to disperse the farmers.