In Punjab, farmers stay put at toll plazas, want fee hike rolled back

Ruchika M Khanna & Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 15

After over 400 days, farm unions today lifted their “pucca dharnas” organised in various parts of Punjab by BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) and the 32 other farm outfits that comprise the SKM.

However, dharnas haven’t been lifted from 24 toll plazas across the state as the protesters have been demanding rollback of the hike in toll prices. Jagmohan Singh Patiala of BKU (Dakaunda) said though the fee had been hiked by a mere 1 or 2 per cent, they were hopeful it too would be rolled back in a day or two.

The dharnas outside the outlets, including shopping malls, petrol pumps and parking lots at railway stations, owned or operated by multi-national companies have also been lifted.

Demanding repeal of the three central farm laws, farm unions had, in October last year, started dharnas at about 200 locations in Punjab. Their count was subsequently revised to 108. Of these, 39 were organised by BKU (Ugrahan) and the remaining 69 by Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and the 32 farmer unions that formed the SKM.

At the “pucca dharnas” sites, huge crowds gathered today to celebrate the “success” that the protesters had achieved by getting the contentious laws repealed. Sweets were distributed and people sang and danced. They also paid respects to the over 700 “martyrs” — the farmers who had died during the course of the agitation.

The unions protesting since September last outside the houses of BJP leaders at seven places — Kotkapura, Nabha, Moga, Sangrur, Sunam, Budhlada and Barnala — also called off their stir. The BKU (Ugrahan) was the first to launch these dharnas, but was later joined by other unions.

Meeting deferred, Channi draws flak

• Farm leaders have expressed displeasure as their meeting with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has been deferred
• The Dec 17 meeting has now been postponed to Dec 20
• The meeting, however, was deferred as some union leaders were scheduled to visit Golden Temple on December 17, said sources

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