Farmers hold protest outside residences of AAP MLAs, ministers in Amritsar, Tarn Taran districts

Farmer unions associated with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Monday staged dharnas outside the residences of ministers and MLAs of the ruling party to protest against the indifferent attitude of the state government towards their issues.

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The protests were held outside the residences of Cabinet Ministers Harbhajan Singh ETO and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and MLAs Jaswinder Singh of Attari and Dalbir Singh Tong of Baba Bakala.

Farmer leaders stated that several issues of the agrarian community have not been addressed for years and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had the audacity to walk out of the meeting. Rattan Singh Randhawa of the Border Area Sangharsh Committee, who led the protest outside the Attari MLA’s residence, said, “Ensuing supply of the canal water for irrigation and giving rights of the land to tillers is under the preview of the state government.”

The farmer leaders raised several other demands, such as management of stray animals, and problems faced by land owners at the Patwari and Tehsildar levels too are under the control of the state government.

Jamhoori Kisan Sabha leader Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala said, “By the time, the CM walked out of the meeting, he had already accepted 12 demands. With the state government head creating unnecessary confrontation, the agrarian sector is not going to benefit.”

Dr Ajnala said the CM had assured them of fixing the MSP for basmati and a few other crops, besides setting up a shelter home for stray animals over 1,000 acres in Patiala. He said the CM had also promised to organise special camps to resolve farmers issues related to revenue department offices.

Speaking during a protest held outside Harbhajan Singh ETO’s office, Jatinder Singh Chinna of the Kirti Kisan Union said, “The attitude of the CM has revealed the seriousness of the Aam Aadmi Party towards the agrarian crises.” He said soon after the meeting ended, the police started arresting farmer leaders.”

Meanwhile, farmers under the banner of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) staged dharnas in front of the MLAs in Tarn Taran district on Monday. They condemned the attitude of the state government, especially of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, towards the issues of the farming community.

Farmers in large numbers staged a dharna in front of the residence of MLA Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal. The leaders in their respective addresses warned the state government against confronting with the farmers.

Balkar Singh Valtoha, Nachhattar Singh Pannu, Harjit Singh Ravi and Devinder Sohal were among others who addressed on the occasion. The leaders condemned the arrest of farmer leaders en masse to restrict them from moving to Chandigarh. They said the policies of the AAP state government have been made to appease the corporate sector.

The farmers staged dharnas in front of the residences of Patti MLA Laljit Singh Bhullar, Khadoor Sahib MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura in Lalpur village and Khemkaran MLA Sarwan Singh Dhunn in Khemkaran too.