Protesters detained after police nix their bid to reach BJP candidate Preneet Kaur’s house in Patiala

Tribune News Service

Aman Sood

Patiala, May 8

Farmer union leaders at a meeting held this evening decided to defer their dharna outside BJP candidate Preneet Kaur's residence. The decision was taken after their meeting with senior government officials, who assured them that their demands would be met in a month.

What triggered stir

Farmer unions had issued an ultimatum that if police did not arrest Harpalpur in two days, they would begin a protest outside former CM Capt Amarinder Singh’s Moti Bagh Palace, also the residence of his wife Preneet Kaur. Farmer Surinderpal Singh died while protesting during the visit of the BJP candidate at Sehra village in Rajpura on May 4.

Farmers placated

At a meeting between senior government officials and farmer union leaders, the farmers decided not to stage a dharna outside Preneet Kaur’s residence, as of now. “We have been assured that the accused in farmer’s death case will be arrested in four weeks and adequate compensation be given to the victim’s family”, said the leaders. “However, our opposition to BJP candidates in villages will continue as usual”, they added.

The farmers demand included the arrest of accused Harwinder Harpalpur in farmer death case and relief to victim’s kin.

Earlier, the farmer unions warned the government not to scuttle their peaceful agitation against BJP leader Preneet Kaur in Patiala by misusing the police force or else the farmer outfits would oppose the visit of AAP candidates, too.

The unions were upset after their activists were not allowed to enter the city and move towards Preneet Kaur’s residence, which was heavily barricaded.

The farmers gathered here following a call given by the SKM (non-political), which is leading the protest against the BJP candidate after the death of Surinderpal Singh, who lost life while protesting during the visit of the BJP candidate at Sehra village in Rajpura on May 4.

Some farmers were detained as they tried to reach near Moti Bagh Palace to protest. Another set of farmers tried to block the highway on the Patiala-Rajpura toll plaza.

Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher warned the government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of dire consequences if cops continued to act tough against the farmers.

“I can say with clarity that even if the Chief Minister or his leaders move with Z-plus security, we will oppose them across Punjab. As for now, we are targeting only the BJP but if AAP acts as its B team, we will oppose them too”, Pandher added.

Meanwhile, Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) chief Jagjit Singh Dallewal said the police should release farmer union members.

“Harwinder Harpalpur should be arrested at the earliest and a case under Section 120-B of the IPC pertaining to conspiracy should have been registered against Preneet Kaur too”, he said, adding that the farmer unions would be left with no option but to oppose AAP leaders.

Farmer unions had issued an ultimatum that if police did not arrest Harpalpur in two days, they would begin a protest outside former CM Capt Amarinder Singh’s Moti Bagh Palace, also the residence of his wife Preneet Kaur.

However, late Tuesday night, the security on the roads leading to the palace was beefed up and barricades were set up to stop the protesters. The police on Sunday booked Harpalpur and two others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The case was registered on the complaint of Surinderpal’s nephew Resham Singh.

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