Tension mars Faridkot school event as farmers confront Punjab Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan

Tension marred an event attended by Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan here on Thursday after a group of farmers reportedly had a tense interaction with the leader.

The incident took place during the inauguration of a development project at a government school in Chandbaja, Kotkapura, in Faridkot.

A scuffle also took place between the police and the farmers at Mishriwala village when the protesters weren’t allegedly allowed to meet the Speaker despite assurance.

Members of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), an umbrella body of farmer groups that had spearheaded over a year-long stir against the Centre and the state’s borders with Haryana, had assembled in large numbers, wanting to pose questions to the Speaker.

According to farmer leaders, at Mishriwala village, police officials had assured the protesters that they would be given time to interact with the Speaker, but they were not allowed to approach the event venue.

Upon learning that the Speaker had departed, the farmers grew agitated and scuffled with police officials present there and raised slogans against the government.

The farmers then proceeded to Chandbaja, where their five representatives were permitted to meet the Speaker.

However, the meeting, held inside the school principal’s office, was cut short. According to reports, Speaker Sandhwan exited the room shortly after entering it, saying the farmers “were not interested in engaging in discussion”.

The farmers asserted that they were ready to engage, but had requested that the conversation be held in the presence of the media.

Farmer leader Sona Singh said the group had come prepared with several questions related to the farmers’ movement that came to an end last month after protesters were evicted from border points with Haryana in a government-ordered crackdown.