Send Punjab Police to protect farmers at borders, says AAP to CM Amarinder

New Delhi: The ruling party in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party, on Sunday, wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh — demanding that he send forces of the Punjab Police to protect and provide safety to the tens of thousands of farmers protesting at the Capital's borders.

While the party runs the Delhi government, it cannot control law and order in the city. The Delhi Police is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Central government.

In a letter addressed to the Captain, Raghav Chadha who is also AAP's Punjab co-in charge, asked him to deploy police personnel from the neighbouring state to camps around the borders of Delhi where the farmers have been protesting.

"Aam Aadmi Party demands that you deploy Punjab Police in sufficient numbers to surround the camps where the peaceful protests are being held from all sides. The Punjab Police must provide protection to our farmer brothers and sisters so no harm is done to them and they can continue to protest against the black laws in a peaceful manner," the AAP leader wrote in the

letter.

He questioned that if Punjab Police can come to the Capital with politicians, officers and random protectees of the state then why can't they be deployed for the safety of the farmers.

However, Singh was quick to respond to Chadha through the media and point out that Punjab Police would not have jurisdiction to be deployed for security in Capital's bordering areas. He called the suggestion from Aam Aadmi Party, "irrational, absurd and against the law".

But this gave rise to a Twitter response from Chadha who claimed that if Punjab Police can enter Delhi with a limit of 72 hours, the government should not give excuses and rather deploy forces for three days and then figure out how to get permission to lengthening their stay from the MHA.

"Captain Saab should put his money where his mouth is and deploy forces. If his only problem is that there is a 72 hours limit, begin the protection, deploy Punjab Police for at least 72 hours & in the meantime get exemption from MHA — and if refused, take recourse against it.

"It is easy to simply abdicate responsibilities by citing excuses, laws and judgements. If there was genuine concern and intent on @capt_amarinder's part, the law always provides ways and means," in another tweet he said.

In his initial letter to the Punjab CM, Chadha also referred to the R-Day and the lack of safety measurements for the farmers following that day. Chadha said in the letter, "While we understand until now you have turned a blind eye to the plight of the farmers, it is a matter of great shock and surprise that we are having to bring it to your attention that they are under the threat of physical violence and attack from the goons of BJP."