Massive protest against contentious farm laws
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, December 14
A massive protest in support of the ongoing agitation against the contentious farm laws was held outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Monday. The protest was supported by many organisations and government employees of different departments.
Different organisations of the Health Department such as the Sanitary Inspectors’ Association, Medical Laboratory Technicians’ Association, Clerical Association, Punjab State Pharmacy Officers’ Association and ANM Union observed a one-day mass hunger strike in support of the farmers.
Employees of the Agriculture, Horticulture, Soil Conservation and Animal Husbandry Departments also organised a protest in support of the farmers. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu of the Agricultural Technocrats’ Action Committee of the agriculture and allied departments demanded that the farmers’ demands should be accepted without any further delay.
Meanwhile, the protest held outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office (under the banner of 31 farmer associations) witnessed participation from different sections of society. Though a large number of farmers are already in Delhi, the involvement of people belonging to other sections of society boosted the morale of farmers’ leaders.
Rattan Singh Randhawa, a farmer leader, said, “The farmers’ protest against farm laws is receiving a tremendous support from different sections of society. We are thankful to all the people for their support.” He said the response to the farmers’ agitation was tremendous.
The farmers’ leaders said the present dispensation at the Centre was not only working for the benefit of the corporate sector but was also trying to destroy the peace and communal harmony of people. They said the agitating farmers would not accept anything less than repealing of the three laws and a constitutional guarantee of the MSP.
They said agriculture was the backbone of the economy. The agitation was also addressed by Balwinder Dudala, Harjit Singh, Amarjit Asal, Gurnam Singh Daud, Jagtar Singh Karampura and others.
