The march of farmers is proposed in Chandigarh today. Farmers’ organizations have announced a sit-in demonstration for the next one week. Meanwhile, Bhagwant Maan Sarkar of Punjab has been alerted and has started taking action on farmer leaders. Many farmer leaders are in police custody or are kept under house arrest. At the same time, the United Kisan Morcha has condemned the police action. Here, the Chandigarh Police has issued a traffic advisory in view of the agitation.
In fact, the farmers have announced that they will protest in Chandigarh from March 5. Earlier, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held a meeting with the farmers. However, this meeting turned out to be inconclusive and farmers remained adamant on their demands. After that CM Mann suddenly left the meeting and left. Meanwhile, the police became strict and actions were seen from Chandigarh to Punjab. Farmer leader Daljinder has been arrested. Kulwant Singh was kept under house arrest.
‘We will burn effigies today’
Farmer leader Saravan Pandher said, we criticize the action of the government on the farmer leaders of SKM. Therefore, on Wednesday, we will burn effigies of Maan Sarkar across Punjab and demand the release of farmer leaders. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhoval) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said, the government cannot suppress the voice of farmers with such steps.
‘If you had to put a front, why did you meet?’
Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa targeted Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and said, Bhagwant Mann should be dismissed. They are not eligible to rule. At the same time, before the farmers’ picket, CM Bhagwant Mann also gave a statement on the action of the police and said bluntly, if the front was to be set up, then why did the meeting. The strike is not allowed.
Chandigarh Police issued advisory
Here, the Chandigarh Police issued an advisory, stating that the movement of traffic on some roads can be controlled on Wednesday to ensure smooth traffic and public safety. Where traffic rules can be implemented, Zirakpur Barrier, Faidan Barrier, Dividing Road of Sector 48/49, Sector 49/50, Sector 50/51 (Jail Road), Sector 51/52 (Matataur Barrier), Sector 52/53 (Kajri Chowk), Sector 53/54 (Furniture Market), Sector 54/55 (Bari 4/555 (Bari Barrier), Sector 55/56 (Palsora Barrier), Naya Village Barrier and Mullanpur Barrier are included. People have been advised to adopt an alternative route to avoid any congestion or inconvenience.
SKM told dictatorial steps
At present, the United Kisan Morcha has strongly condemned the action of Punjab Police. In a statement, SKM accused the farmers of suppressing democratic rights for peaceful protests and called the Bhagwant Maan government’s action a dictatorial step. SKM has called for a week’s sit -in in Chandigarh from March 5 in support of its various demands.
The SKM alleged that it is politically wrong and extremely unfortunate to adopt a derogatory way to deploy police in homes at midnight to suppress and threaten farmer leaders. The farmers’ organization demanded the CM to release all the farmer leaders immediately.
Which leaders claim to take into custody
SKM said, Punjab Police raided the houses of various farmer leaders across Punjab and took into custody many leaders including Balbir Singh Rajewal, Ruldu Singh Mansa, Gurumit Singh Bhatiwal, Nachtar Singh Jait, Virpal Singh Dhillon, Binder Singh Golwal, Gurnam Bhikhi and Harmesh Singh.
Police have been raided on the houses of prominent farmer leaders including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Raminder Singh Patiala, Buta Singh Burjgil, Harinder Singh Lokhowal, Satnam Singh Ajnala, Gurumit Singh Mehma and Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala.
SKM appeals to Punjab farmers
The Kisan Union said, the right to peaceful protest is the fundamental right of the citizens and the dictatorial attitude of the state government to not allow protest will never be tolerated by the people of Punjab. SKM appealed to farmers across Punjab to join the week -long protests in Chandigarh.
SKM leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan called upon farmer leaders to walk to Chandigarh. He told the farmers that if they are stopped by the police while going to Chandigarh, then they should sit in the empty place so that no road is blocked. He said, the Punjab government wants to defame us by claiming that they have blocked the roads.
Farmer leaders and opposition parties criticized the AAP government for this action. The talks between the Punjab government and the SKM leaders failed on Monday to discuss the demands of the farmers. Farmer leaders claimed that Mann went out of the meeting in anger.
What did CM Bhagwant Mann say?
At the same time, CM Bhagwant Mann said that his doors are always open for talks, but in the name of movement, the public should avoid inconvenience and harassment. On his meeting with farmer leaders, Mann said, I told him that every day you stop the railways and block the roads, causing heavy loss to Punjab and Punjab is becoming a picket state. There is a fight to take credit between various farmer organizations, which are trying to create chaos by running a parallel government. He reiterated that the government is always ready to solve issues related to different sections of society through dialogue, but common people cannot be allowed to inconvenience through rail or road barriers.
What are the demands of farmer organizations?
The SKM is also demanding enacting a law for debt settlement, ensuring canal water to every farm, paying sugarcane dues and preventing alleged forcible acquisition of land for Bharatmala projects.