Chandigarh, November 6
The arrest of 130 activists and farmers’ leaders in special swoops since late last night on the houses and known hideouts of leaders of nine organisations of farmers notwithstanding, the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti reiterated its decision to hold a massive demonstration at Barnala on November 8 in protest against the acquisition of agricultural land for mega projects.

“The police has been conducting raids at a number of places in Punjab since last night. In Muktsar district, for example, it arrested two of our district and village-level activists in Palliana and Channu villages,” says Mr Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, general secretary of the samiti.

“While on the one hand the Congress wants to start its Vikas Yatra on November 8, on the other, its government is resorting to strong-arm tactics to crush a peaceful agitation by farmers,” said Mr Kokri. “Anyway, we are going ahead with our peaceful demonstration. We have nothing to do with politics as we are an apolitical front of nine organisations of farmers.

“On a day like Gurpurb, when everyone was celebrating, the Punjab Police was forcing us to go underground. Such tactics will not work,” warned Mr Kokri, holding that “a member of the State Committee, Mr Gurbhagat Singh, managed to escape from his home in Palliana village minutes before the police raid.”

Mr Bhupinder Sambhar, general secretary, Punjab Kisan Sabha, said that raids were conducted on the residences of activists of the sangharsh samiti in Sangrur, Bathinda, Mansa, Moga, Muktsar and a few other places.

The police raids have been resented not only by farmers and their families but are also acting as a catalyst for mobilising support for the November 8 rally and demonstration.

Mr Jagjit Singh Joga, vice-president of the kisan sabha, said that though the Barnala rally was mainly to thwart the government move on acquiring agricultural land for mega projects, other issues and problems facing the farming community of the state would also be highlighted.

Mr Kokri, Mr Bhupinder Sambhar and Mr Joga cautioned the state government against continuing the arrest of farmers’ leaders and activists, saying such an action would be counter-productive and strengthen the impression that the Congress government was anti-farmer.

Regarding the indefinite dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar for the past some days, Mr Kokri said the police and the intelligence agencies were “baffled” at the overwhelming response to “our call” and were now resorting to repressive means to stop the Barnala rally.

“This will not dilute our resolve to hold a massive Barnala rally. All nine organisations are active in mobilising not only farmers but also their families to join the protest,” added Mr Kokri, cautioning the state against continuing this “arrest campaign”.

In spite of directions from the Centre that no agricultural land should be acquired for handing it over to either industry or for special economic zones, the Punjab Government has not withdrawn land acquisition notices both in Barnala and Amritsar so far.

While acquired land in Barnala is to be given to an industrial house, in Amritsar it is to be given to DLF for a special economic zone. The farmers’ organisations have refused to accept the awards passed by the land acquisition officers in 12 villages of Amritsar.