Barnala, March 11 -- Farmer leader Buta Singh Shadipur, during a meeting of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha rally, on Tuesday said that legalising poppy cultivation could save Punjab's youth, drawing criticism from BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) state president Joginder Singh Ugrahan.

Buta Singh Shadipur said that poppy seeds would act as a substitute for other drugs, thus saving Punjab youths.

According to Ugrahan, what Shadipur said was uncalled for. "There were many things which leaders spoke about on stage which should not be repeated," Ugrahan said.

The rally was organised at the Barnala grain market to oppose the India-US trade pact, besides the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and Seed Bill.

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