Bandh observed in spirit at Sahnewal
The call for bandh given by farmer unions was observed in spirit in Sahnewal, Doraha and Kohara, with each section of society joining hands with the sons of the soil to protest against the Centre for not accepting the demands of the protesting farmers.
At Neelon, the supporters of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and villagers of the surrounding areas of Doraha and Sahnewal, actively collaborated with the Kisan Unions and participated in the bandh call from 7 am to 4 pm in support of Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for over a month, demanding the implementation of 13 farm reforms. The villagers together, in one voice, volunteered to raise their concern for the farming community which they said has been victimised for years together. Doraha, Sahnewal, Kohara, Samrala and the surrounding areas stood firmly by the farmers and supported the bandh call. The bandh supporters said that lack of concern by the Central government was fatal for the farming community in particular and employees, labourers, pensioners and the people in general.
Swaranjit Singh Ghulal, Gurjit Singh Doraha, Balraj Singh Rampur, Harjinder Singh Lal Kalna, Tehal Singh Bijlipur, Gurpreet Singh Chandran, Malkit Singh Punia and Balpreet Singh Balala were among those who addressed the gathering at Neelon. They endorsed the bandh call and condemned in unequivocal terms the “false and malicious propaganda” of the Central government against the secular and broad-based agitation of Punjab farmers, which has got support not only from all communities in Punjab but also from farmers across the country.
“The impact of the agitation has been such that all divisions of castes, communities, religions and regions have melted. The material and moral support to the historic Kisan agitation in itself speaks of the world-wide recognition the farming community has received and the just cause for which they have taken to roads for months together,” shared the protestors.
“This second war of independence from the corporate companies has to be fought together with grit and wisdom. It is a movement against the arbitrariness of the Central government. Rather than expressing concern over the rapidly deteriorating health of Dallewal, the Centre is forcing us to call off the agitation. This will never be allowed to happen. We have always been firm enough as far as the agitation, its follow- up and ultimate outcome is concerned,” they rued.
