Farmers hold protest outside Ravneet Singh Bittu’s house

Ludhiana, May 28

Even in the rising mercury, farmers’ enthusiasm was high as farm union leaders and members under the umbrella of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee today sat on a dharna outside the residence of BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu in Ludhiana.

After completing 105 days of the Kisan Andolan-2 on the border of Punjab and Haryana, farmers today protested outside houses of BJP leaders across the state over their major demand to release farmers arrested at the behest of the BJP.

Sapinder Singh Bagga, district president of BKU Ekta (Sidhupur) while addressing farmers outside the house of Bittu said farmers were protesting peacefully at the border from February 13 but on the order of the Centre, the Haryana Government did not let farmers enter Delhi and tried to supress their voice. They they were also put in jail.

“We were going to Delhi to put forward our demands but the sad part is that the government did not even allow us to enter Delhi, what to consider about our demands. We are treated as enemies in our own country. We will continue our struggle till our demands are met,” said Gurdeep Singh, another farm union leader.

“Farmer Shubhkaran Singh and Surinder Pal singh Akri lost their lives while farmer Pritpal Singh lost his eyesight due to the oppression of the police force inflicted upon growers. Nearly 700 farmers lost their lives during the first Kisan Andolan,” he added.

The main demands of farmers include a legal guarantee to MSP on their produce, withdrawal of police cases against them during earlier protests, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, debt waivers and no hike in electricity tariff.

Farmers have vowed to continue their protest until the Central Government meets their demands. Lok Sabha elections in Punjab are scheduled on June 1 and farmers’ anger towards the Centre is becoming increasingly evident. They are not allowing BJP leaders to enter villages and have announced to boycott the BJP in the poll.