Now, farmers go on indefinite strike in Muktsar

Muktsar, March 30

Farmers under the banner of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) today started an indefinite protest outside the District Administrative Complex (DAC) here, demanding action against the DC for allegedly ordering lathicharge on them, compensation for the crop lost due to pink bollworm and cancellation of the FIR against them for holding revenue officials captive in Lambi on Monday.

On Tuesday, the police had booked nine farm leaders and nearly 150 unidentified persons in the Lambi case. Later, the farmers blocked the national highway at Lambi and lifted it in the evening after announcing they would start an indefinite protest outside the DAC on Wednesday.

Gurpash Singh Pasha, an accused in the Lambi case, said, “We were upset with the naib tehsildar, not others. We told the rest of the staff to leave, but they insisted on staying. Later, the police used force on us after following the DC orders. We want the FIR cancelled, action against the DC and crop loss relief.”

DC Harpreet Singh Sudan said farmers would get the compensation within a few days. Meanwhile, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) chief Joginder Singh Ugrahan and other senior farm leaders met AAP’s Lambi MLA Gurmeet Khudian at Khudian village. — TNS

BKU PROTEST TOMORROW

• BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) secretary Shingara Singh Mann on Wednesday said farmers wanted departmental action against Muktsar DC, Malout SDM and DSP
• “The Lambi MLA assured us that all our demands will be discussed with the CM on April 5. We’ll intensify our stir from April 1,” said the BKU leader

REVENUE STAFF SUSPEND STIR

• After observing strike for two days, the Punjab Revenue Officers’ Association on Wednesday suspended it till April 5
• The officers met the Revenue Minister in Chandigarh and are scheduled to meet CM Bhagwant Mann on April 5