Lockdown: No farmers' protest held at Matka Chowk, Chandigarh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 18

Keeping in view the lockdown situation and to avoid any confrontation with the UT police, at a meeting, farmer unions and civil society members decided to call off the symbolic protest today.

However, Laabh Singh, the 80-something protester, who’s a baptised Sikh, held the fort all alone, with occasional visitors.

Santam Singh Tanda of the Naujawan Kisan Ekta said, “This morning, we had a meeting with people who assemble here at Matka Chowk. Yesterday, the police tried to arrest a protester too, after allowing us to protest here peacefully and following Covid guidelines. So, we spoke to SKM leaders too and they advised us to avoid confrontation with the police.”

Tanda and a couple of other civil society members stood near the chowk to stop any protester from coming there. “As such, not many cars are passing through during the lockdown. We have, however, requested the SHO of Sector 17 if just four people could be allowed to stand at the four dividers each during the lockdown,” he added.