CHANDIGARH: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which led the 2020-21 farmers' agitation, held protests across Punjab on Monday against the ruling AAP government.
Farmers staged sit-ins outside the residences and offices of various AAP MLAs, protesting against the government's move to block their recent agitation in Chandigarh.
Farmers staged sit-ins outside the residences and offices of several AAP MLAs, including Minister Mohinder Bhagat in Jalandhar, Narinder Kaur Bharaj in Sangrur, Dev Mann in Nabha, Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi in Batala, Manjit Singh in Moga, and Neena Mittal in Rajpura.
They slammed the Punjab government for “detaining” several farmer leaders ahead of their March 5 protest programme.
Prem Singh Bhangu, President of the All India Kisan Federation and an SKM leader, said that massive dharnas were held at over 70 locations on the call of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha to strongly protest the mass arrests of farmers and leaders on the night of March 4, which were aimed at preventing the Chandigarh morcha planned for March 5.
These dharnas expressed strong resentment and anger over the Chief Minister's provocative remarks, where he accused farmers of running a parallel government, hindering the state's growth and development, and interfering in petty disputes unrelated to farming.
Bhangu further added that this stance of the government could cost it dearly in the elections, as it cannot afford a direct confrontation with farmers, who are the state's main fighting force.
"It seems the AAP government is following the BJP's agenda of creating a Jat versus non-Jat and urban versus rural divide in the state by defaming the SKM, aiming to secure votes from certain sections," he said.
Another senior SKM leader and BKU (Lakhowal) president, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, said that the SKM has openly challenged the Chief Minister to a debate on March 15 in Chandigarh over the demand charter already submitted to him.
He stated that all demands are relevant to farmers and accused the CM of shamelessly backtracking on their implementation even after agreeing to them.
“We are holding our protests peacefully,” said farmer leader Ravneet Brar, who was sitting outside MLA Kulwant Singh’s office in Mohali with other farmers.
The SKM had planned a week-long ‘dharna’ in Chandigarh from March 5 to demand, among other things, the state government’s purchase of six crops at the minimum support price. However, Punjab Police prevented farmers from reaching Chandigarh for the protest.
The SKM, which led the 2020 agitation against the now-repealed farm laws, is demanding the implementation of the state’s agricultural policy, a legal framework for debt relief in coordination with the Centre, ownership rights for land tillers, and payment of sugarcane arrears.
It is also calling for an end to the “forcible” acquisition of land for Bharatmala projects, jobs, compensation for the kin of farmers who died during the 2020-21 protest, revoking the policy of prepaid electricity meter installations, solutions for stray animal issues, and curbing black marketing of fertilisers and spurious seeds.