Protesters target BJP functions, damage mobile towers in Punjab

In Punjab, mobile towers of a leading private telecom operator have been targeted by the farmers over the last three-four days.

Bathinda Police intervene after a mild altercation between BJP supporters and a section of protestors who were agitating against the new farm laws. (Photo | PTI)

CHANDIGARH: As the stalemate over the agri laws continues, farmers appear to be losing patience. A spate of incidents of violence was reported across several states on Friday. The BJP faced the ire of farmers in Bathinda in Punjab on Friday.

As the party was celebrating the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a group of farmers entered the venue and allegedly broke chairs and the LED TV and even pelted stones.

At least five party workers, including Bathinda BJP chief Vinod Gupta and state BJP legal cell co-convenor Ravinder Gupta, were injured in the melee.

The BJP workers could be seen running away from the spot in a viral video. The police had to use mild force to disperse the group. However, some farmers at the venue claimed anti-social elements and not peasants were behind the incident.

In Jalandhar Cantonment, too, farmers gheraod the venue of a BJP function being held to commemorate Vajpayee. Later, they also tried to lay siege to the residence of BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia. The police lathi-charged them thus a few farmers received minor injuries.

In Punjab, mobile towers of a leading private telecom operator have been targeted by the farmers over the last three-four days and power supply to most of these towers have been cut-off. Approximately 1,000 towers have been damaged.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday appealed to protesting farmers not to inconvenience the general public with such actions but continue to exercise the same restraint as they had been showing over the past several months of their agitation. 

In Uttarakhand, farmer clashed with police in Udham Singh Nagar after the cops tried to stop them from marching to Delhi to join the ongoing protests.

In a viral video, a tractor is seen pulling down a police barricade. Tajendra Singh Virk, president of Terai Kisan Sanghthan, said, “The police cannot snatch away our right to protest. We had planned a peaceful march to Delhi but police stopped us using force.”

Inputs from Vineet Upadhyay in Dehradun