Punjab farmers protest outside homes of AAP ministers, MLAs

Punjab farmers on Monday staged protests outside the residences of AAP ministers and MLAs against police crackdown, in which protesters were evicted from the Shambhu and Khanauri border points.

The call for the protest was given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. They were condemning the March 19 Punjab Police action in which it detained several farmer leaders as they were returning after a meeting with a Central delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Chandigarh.

The meeting was organised to discuss the farmers' demands, especially the MSP guarantee. As the departing farmers entered Mohali, they were met with heavy barricading and some of their leaders were detained.

Police had evicted farmers and dismantled temporary structures from the border points. Vehicular traffic had resumed on the Shambhu-Ambala and Sangrur-Jind highways.

Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee state president Satnam Singh Pannu on Monday said the protests were held outside the houses of seven ministers and 21 MLAs in 17 districts.

Farmer leaders lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government, accusing it of evicting their protests at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points "in cahoots with" the BJP-led Centre.

KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said they were also demanding compensation for the theft of tractor-trolleys, and other belongings from the protest sites, following the dismantling of temporary structures by police. They wanted action against those who stole their articles from the protest sites.

Several farmers, who were part of the Shambhu and Khanauri protests, have claimed that their belongings, including trolleys were missing, adding that they might have been stolen.

In Jalandhar, a group of farmers entered into a scuffle with Punjab Police officials and tried to force their way through barricades to head towards state minister Mohinder Bhagat.

In Moga's Dharamkot, protesting farmers, who were sitting outside the residence of AAP MLA Devinderjit Singh Laddi Dhose, alleged that a security guard of the legislator allegedly drove away their vehicle from the protest site. They also alleged that their microphone was also snatched by the security guard of the Dharamkot MLA.

In Hoshiarpur, protesters staged a sit-in outside the residences of state minister Dr Ravjot Singh, MLA Jasvir Singh Raja and in front of AAP office at Dasuya, expressing their resentment over the recent police crackdown. The protestors also raised slogans against the Punjab government.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) state president Manjit Singh Rai alleged that the state government had promised an annual revenue of Rs 20,000 crore from mining, but instead, these funds were being "misappropriated".

Condemning police action, he alleged that it was carried out at the behest of the Union Government. He also criticised the Punjab government, accusing it of failing to protect the interests of farmers.

At Shaheed Bhagat Singh Market in Dasuya, members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (Piddi Group), led by Zone Garna Sahib president Jagdeep Singh Jaggi, staged a demonstration outside the AAP office.

In Tanda, workers led by Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee district president Paramjit Singh Bhulla protested outside the residence of Urmur MLA Jasvir Singh Raja. The protesters submitted a memorandum listing their demands to the MLA.