Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], March 20 (ANI): Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that the farmers' protest at Punjab's Shambhu and Khanauri borders was orchestrated at AAP leader's behest to serve his political interests.

'It was at the behest of Punjab CM @BhagwantMann that Punjab was held to ransom and allowed to bleed financially and economically for 400 days due to a dharna which was never in Punjab farmer's interests,' Jhakhar said in a post on X.

'CM Bhagwant Mann has used, abused, and humiliated farmers for votes and is now trying to take credit ahead of Ludhiana bypoll for vacating a dharna which he himself propagated. This dharna was never a fight to safeguard farmer rights but for one-upmanship between self-styled 'akhauti' leaders propped up by the CM, to massage their egos and for personal aggrandisement,' Jhakhar added.

Apart from AAP government in Punjab, Jhakhar also targeted Congress party 'cheerleaders'.

'That they made innocent Punjabi farmer a pawn in their political battles was evident from day 1. The biggest set back of all this would be to Punjab's innocent Kissan and Kissani which have been waylaid and appropriated by an unholy alliance of AAP, so-called farm leaders and Congress party 'cheeleaders' who know nothing about real concerns of agriculture,' he said.

'The question Punjab is asking that if Shambhu and Khanauri could be vacated yesterday without a semblance of protest by such farm leaders, why let Punjab bleed and suffer loss of lives and revenue for 400 days,' he asked.

Earlier today, Congress MP Imran Masood criticized the central government, alleging that it was focusing on irrelevant issues while farmers continue to struggle.

Speaking to ANI, Masood said, 'It is very unfortunate that the farmers of the country are struggling, the youth are frustrated, but the government is busy with irrelevant issues. No one is talking about the farmers; instead, we are digging up issues from 400 years ago and turning them into political debates.'

He urged the BJP-led central government to talk to the farmers instead of focusing on irrelevant matters.

'The farmers are suffering, talk to them. The youth are distressed, engage with them. But instead of addressing these concerns, we're focusing on irrelevant matters. This is the situation unfolding in the country,' Masood said.

On Wednesday, Punjab police removed farmers from the Punjab-Haryana Khanauri Border and Shambhu Border, where they were sitting in protest over their various demands, including a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops. (ANI)