Former Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, who had gone on a visit to the village of Panjokhra Sahib in Ambala on Tuesday, took responsibility for the police firing on protesting farmers on the Punjab-Haryana border during 'Dilli Chalo' protest earlier this year in February.
Taking responsibility for the incident, he said: "The firing on farmers was done on whosoever's order, I was the Home Minister at that time and I take responsibility for it."
During the clash, a young farmer named Shubhkaran Singh from Bhatinda was killed in the police firing that came from the Haryana side on Khanauri border. The case is currently being monitored by a Punjab and Haryana high court panel.
Vij, who reached the village to campaign for BJP's candidate Banto Kataria from Ambala, was confronted by protesting farmers carrying black flags, raising anti-BJP slogans, as per media reports.
The former minister then stopped his car and walked out to listen to the farmers. It was then that he was questioned on the firing incident, when he claimed responsibility for it, adding that even though "I did not order it I own the responsibility for police firing."
He further mentioned that he had carried out the most work in Panjokhra Sahib and had come to the village to meet the people. The farmers welcomed the former minister and demanded action against those who were involved in the firing incident.
To this, Anil Vij responded saying that although he was no longer a minister but still considered himself as their brother. He further emphasised that instead of running away like other leaders, he approached them to hear their grievances himself.
Vij reassured the farmers that he could still address their issues as their MLA. Subsequently, a farmer remarked that the former minister would become the Chief Minister, to which Vij replied that they didn't support him enough to make someone from Ambala the Chief Minister.
Anil Vij, who stood there and addressed the farmers' issues until they were satsified, also stated that despite differing issues, they were fundamentally the same.
The farmers also raised a few demands while talking to Vij, requesting that a pond in the village be cemented and reopening of the Shambhu border. They also requested him to release the farmers who were imprisoned during the protests.
However, Vij made it clear that it was not in his hands to speak or decide on these matters.
In the run up to the elections, Anil Vij held several election meetings in various locations including Panjokhra Sahib, Tundla, Khatauli, Janetpur, Barnala, Mandaura, Tundli, and Kalarheri, while campaigning for the BJP candidate Kataria.