CHANDIGARH: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi along with Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh will lead tractor rallies across Punjab from October 3 to 5 in protest against the Union government’s new agriculture laws. But the Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij has made it clear that Rahul will not be allowed to enter the state from Punjab.
All the Punjab ministers and Congress MLAs will participate in the protest rallies, along with AICC General Secretary in charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar which the party says will give voice to the angst and pain of the farmers, whose livelihood and future has been put at stake by the central legislations.
The tractor rallies, expected to be supported by farmer organisations across the state, will cover more than 50 kilometres spread over three days in various districts and constituencies, according to a Punjab Congress spokesperson. The tractor rallies are scheduled at around 11 am on each of the three days and will be conducted amid strict Covid protocols.
It is learnt that the Punjab Congress is hoping that all the disgruntled leaders of the party including former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu will come on one platform to put up a show of unity.
The protest rally on Day 1 (October 3, Saturday) will cover a total distance of 22 kilometres, starting with a public meeting at Badni Kalan in Moga, before moving through Lopon. The rally will then move into Jagraon in Ludhiana, where it will be received at Chakar, Lakha and Manoke, culminating eventually in a public meeting in Jattpura in Ludhiana.
On Day 2 (October 4, Sunday), a total of 20 kilometres would be covered, beginning with a reception at Barnala Chowk, Sangrur, from where Rahul and his team will travel by car to Bhawanigarh for a public meeting, before embarking on tractors to Samana in Patiala, where receptions will be held at Fatehgarh Chhana and Bahmna, before ending the day with a public meeting at Grain Market, Samana.
On Monday (October 5), the protest will begin from Dudhan Sadhan in Patiala with a public meeting, and the tractors will then travel 10 kilometres to Pehowa border, from where team Rahul will enter Haryana for a series of programmes there.
Sources said that in Haryana, Rahul would hold the rally at Kaithal and another major programme at Pipli before returning to New Delhi.
But Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij announced that Rahul will not be allowed to enter Haryana as it could vitiate the atmosphere in the state.