Video: Haryana CM tells BJP workers to 'pick up sticks and treat farmers'

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's "tit for tat" strategy and call to the youth to pick up sticks against protesting farmers has created a political storm.

During a meeting of the BJP's Kisan Morcha in Chandigarh on Sunday, Khattar told the gathering to form groups of 500 to 1,000 to deal with the protesting farmers.

A video clip of Khattar's comments went viral on the social media.

"Form groups of 500, 700, 1,000 farmers and make them volunteers. And then at every place, 'sathe sathyam samacharet'. What does it mean -- it means tit for tat (jaisa ko taisa).

In the video, Khattar can also be seen telling people not to worry about going to jail. "Do not worry...when you remain there (in jail) for a month, three months or six months, you will become big leaders, your names will be etched in history," he said.

The Opposition and farm unions have slammed the CM saying that he was asking the supporters of the saffron party to attack the farmers protesting against three agriculture laws of the Centre.

The Congress has demanded that the chief minister should be sacked for calling for violence. "This call to spread anarchy at an open programme after taking oath of the Constitution is treason. Seems you also have the nod of Modi-Naddaji in this," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted in Hindi.