Khattar retracts ‘tit-for-tat’ remark: ‘Meant self- defence’

“I would like to tell my farmer brothers that I withdraw that statement... I do not want the law and order situation in Haryana to be disrupted. Peaceful protest is everybody’s right,” Khattar said.

Written by Varinder Bhatia

Chandigarh | October 9, 2021 03:02 AM IST

1 min read

The plea, filed by seven residents of Haryana, says that Khattar made a “dangerous speech” at the BJP kisan morcha at Chandigarh on October 3, 2021.(file photo)

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Friday “retracted” his “tit-for-tat” remark against farmers protesting the agri laws, saying he sought to convey a sentiment of “self-defence” which was “misconstrued”.

“I would like to tell my farmer brothers that I withdraw that statement… I do not want the law and order situation in Haryana to be disrupted. Peaceful protest is everybody’s right,” Khattar said.

He also said he won’t attend a programme of the Aggarwal community in Kaithal as farmers had objected to his visit.

Chairing a BJP Kisan Morcha meeting on October 3, Khattar was heard telling workers to create “500-600-1,000 volunteers” in every district of north and west Haryana, and be ready to “face sticks, imprisonment”, which will make them “big leaders”. He then used a Hindi phrase, “Sathe Sathyam Smacharet”, which he explained as jaise ko taisa, or tit-fot-tat.

Khattar Friday said he had made the remarks in reference to self defence.

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Manohar Lal Khattar