'Not farmers but Khalistanis': Karnataka BJP MP on farmers' protest

Bengaluru, Feb 24 (IANS) BJP MP from Karwar Anantkumar Hegde on Saturday said that those who are taking part in protests in New Delhi are not farmers but are Khalistanis.

“They arrive in high end cars. Do farmers have this much money? Those protesting are not farmers. It is not farmers’ agitation. It is the protest staged by betrayers of the nation. It is an agitation of Khalistanis which is termed as farmers’ protest. All of them are funded by foreign countries,” Hegde said.

He said that these farmers -- who claim discrimination and injustice -- arrive in high end cars and in new tractors whenever a protest call is given.

Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over his criticism of the Central government over allocation of funds, Hegde said that it is not the “property of his father” to allocate funds as and when he sought it.

“If good relations are maintained and proposals from the state are submitted and discussion is held with concerned ministers, everything will be smooth including the allotment of funds. But the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah does not want it that way,” he said.

“I have seen many governments and Chief Ministers in my career but have never witnessed such a government till now,” he said.