Farmers continue stir, block Airport Road

Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 26

Continuing with their protest against the farm Bills, farmers, supported by splinter groups of the Shiromani Akali Dal, blocked the national as well as state highways in Kurali, Zirakpur and Dera Bassi by parking harvester combines and tractors on the road today.

The protests remained peaceful as no untoward incident was reported from any part of the district. Farmers, led by SAD (Taksali) members, earlier wanted to block the rail track near the Mohali railway station, but were stopped by the local police.

SAD (Taksali) leaders Gurpartap Singh Riar and Harsukhjinder Singh Babbi Badal blocked Airport Road in Phase XI by parking seven to eight tractors there. They burnt an effigy carrying pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Union minister Harsimrat Badal and SAD (B) president Sukhbir Badal and raised slogans against them.

Babbi Badal said the Central Government was promoting the corporate sector by passing the farm Bills. He said they would continue their protest till the Bills were withdrawn.

Motorists heading towards the airport were a harassed lot as there was a huge traffic jam, which continued for about three hours. The police diverted the traffic so that people did not get stuck.

About 50 youth of various villages, led by AAPleader Parminder Sona, carried out a motorcycle rally at various villages in Kharar in protest against the three agricultural bills passed by the Modi Government.

Over 200 farmers of the BKUalso blocked the traffic on the Chandigarh-New Delhi highway near Bhankarpur in Dera Bassi. Farmers blocked the highway using combine harvester machines and tractors. About 150 farmers also held a road blockade in Kurali. The police had to divert the traffic to avoid jam.

See also page 6

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