Youngsters protest farm laws near Elante mall

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 21

Young members of the local Nojawan Kisan Ekta staged a protest against the agro-market laws, outside the Elante mall today. Dev Talwar, who organised the protest along with Gurpreet Singh Saini, said the mall became their choice of protest venue because it receives heavy footfall on weekends.

“We want to amplify the farmers demand for revoking the agro-market farm laws. As a large number of people visit the mall on weekend, it became an obvious choice,” said Talwar. Narinder Kaur, one of the protesters said: “My parents have been going to Singhu and other borders near Delhi. So, I come here to voice farmers’ concerns.”

Visitors to the mall joined the protesters in raising slogans against the farm laws. “I came here to shop, but I’m stopping here and protesting because I support farmers,” said Prince Singh, who drove to the mall from Haryana’s Shahbad.

Another visitor, Manoj Kumar, a city resident and owner of Raj Travels, said: “I may not be a farmer, but I am a businessperson and I understand how monopolisation of agriculture market is being done. I’ve studied the Essential Commodities Act and it will effect even us, regular people. That’s why I’m here. I support them,” He said.