Known for speaking his mind irrespective of his party affiliation, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Malwinder Singh Kang has now stirred a debate by suggesting that recent confrontations between farmers and the Punjab Police could have been handled more sensitively.Kang made the comments during a recent television interaction while discussing farmers’ protests and governance issues in Punjab being ruled by the AAP.AdvertisementHis remarks come amid tensions between the Punjab Police and members of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), who alleged police repression on February 6 and February 18 when they attempted to march towards Bathinda to stage a protest. Tear gas shells were used during the confrontation and two farmers were injured on February 18. Farmer unions have demanded disciplinary action against Jyoti Yadav, the SSP of Bathinda, who is the wife of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains.Without naming any officer or incident, Kang suggested such situations required greater sensitivity. “If we think that we can get away with such incidents, we are mistaken. We will have to pay for such incidents. In the past, three to four such incidents happened involving farmers which could have been handled in a sensitive manner,” he said in comments whose video clips have gone viral.He also spoke about the administrative structure in Punjab, noting that many officers serving in the state are not native to the region. “Many of the officers posted in Punjab are non-Punjabis… here I must say that we gave them this space as Punjabis kept on migrating abroad. Perhaps many non-Punjabi officers are not understanding the sentiments of Punjab,” he claimed.AdvertisementEmphasising the political importance of the farming community, Kang said the AAP government must remain mindful of farmers’ sentiments. “Farmers gave us the maximum love due to which we formed the government in 2022. So if we think that we can succeed after making them unhappy, it is a misconception. We need to be very sensitive towards their demands and issues,” he said.Kang also reiterated that he had quit the BJP over the now-repealed central farm laws. “I left BJP after the party had brought three contentious farm laws. I always stand with farmers,” he said.He also raised concerns about illegal mining in his Anandpur Sahib constituency. He said he had shared information with senior authorities, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. “I have even given a list of a few persons involved in mining to the higher authorities and even to the Chief Minister,” he said.Kang has earlier taken positions that placed him at odds with sections within his own party. In July last year, when the Punjab government introduced a land pooling policy that was later withdrawn following opposition from farmers, Kang publicly backed the concerns raised by farmer unions.In an X post — which he later deleted — Kang wrote that the objections raised by farmer unions over the policy should be addressed through “meaningful dialogue” and that trust must be earned before any such policy takes root.Rift with farm outfitsHis position on farmers’ protests, however, has not always been aligned with that of farmer organisations. In March 2025, Kang had advised members of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) not to block the Punjab-Haryana borders, arguing that their demand for a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) was directed at the central government.Days later, on March 19, 2025, protests at the two border points were forcibly lifted by authorities. Farmer unions criticised the action and alleged that several tractor trolleys went missing during the operation.Kang later said the situation could have been handled differently, noting that the protests were against the central government.you may likeWhile some farmer leaders appreciated his remarks, others remained sceptical. Jhanda Singh Jethuke, senior vice-president of BKU Ugrahan, said Kang’s comments appeared aimed at retaining popularity among farmers and reflected possible internal differences within the ruling party.Speaking to The Indian Express Sunday, Kang said he “truly stands with the farmers”. “I quit the BJP for them. People make us leaders and we need to always stand by them. I stand by what I said. I never said anything against the party. Even CM (Bhagwant Mann) sahib loves the masses and is working for farmer welfare. I just hope the party will be more sensitive in dealing with such issues in the future,” he added.While AAP spokesperson Neel Garg refused to comment on the issue, the Opposition questioned Kang’s stance. Pritpal Singh Baliawal, spokesperson of the Punjab BJP, said Kang should make public the list of alleged illegal miners he claimed to have submitted to the Chief Minister and questioned why he had not demanded disciplinary action against the Bathinda SSP.