On second anniversary of farm stir, scores of Punjab farmers hold protest in Mohali
Chandigarh Traffic Police seal borders with Mohali to prevent farmers from marching to Punjab Raj Bhawan in support of their demands, including MSP on all crops and punishment to Lakhimpur Kheri incident accused
Scores of farmers from Punjab owing allegiance to 32 unions under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha marched from Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali towards Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh to submit a memorandum of their demands but were stopped at Chandigarh border from where their representatives were taken to meet governor Banwarilal Purohit.
Also read: Punjab’s U-turn: No action against farmers over fires
Security was beefed up in Mohali and Chandigarh protest on the second anniversary of the farm agitation against the Centre as the farmers gathered in large numbers and marched towards the state capital till they were stopped at the Union territory’s border.
Traffic diversions from Mohali, Panchkula
Besides sealing its borders, the road from the Sectors 51-52 light point to Mataur barrier that connects to Himalaya Marg in Chandigarh was closed and traffic was diverted. The road from Housing Board light point in Manimajra that leads to Madhya Marg and Sectors 7, 8, 17, 18 crossing in Chandigarh was also closed. Traffic from Panchkula to Chandigarh was being diverted from the Housing Board light point, police said.
The march that started from Gurdwara Amb Sahib around 2.30pm, passed through the Phase 7 traffic lights and Machhiwara Chowk in Mohali. Superintendent of police (traffic) Jagjeet Singh said, “1,000 policemen have been deployed in Mohali to maintain law and order.”
Chandigarh senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kuldeep Singh Chahal said adequate arrangements are in place. “A strong police force was deployed on the barriers with Mohali. Traffic diversions were made,” Chahal said.
Peaceful, but strong, protest: Farmers
The farmers are demanding the implementation of minimum support price for all crops, compensation for damaged crops, punishment to Lakhimpur Kheri incident accused besides other long-pending issues.
Nirvail Singh, president of the Azad Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, said, “Farmers have also decided to take on the state government against its anti-farmer policy. We will hold the protest peacefully but strongly until our demands are met.”
“Hundreds of farmers from Barnala, Sangrur, Mansa, Bathinda, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Muktsar, Tarn Taran, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Moga, Ludhiana and Kapurthala are in Mohali for the protest,” said Jagmohan Singh, the general secretary of Bharti Kisan Union, Dakaunda.
Among farmer leaders who took part are Jhanda Singh Jethuke of BKU (Ugrahan), Jagmohan Singh of the Kul Hind Kisan Sabha, Raminder Singh Patiala of the Kirti Kisan Union, Ruldu Singh Mansa of the Punjab Kisan Union, Nirbhai Singh Dudike of the Kirti Kisan Union, Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan of the BKU (Ugrahan), Kawaljeet Singh of the Punjab Kisan Union, Darshan Pal of the Krantikari Kisan Union Punjab and Harinder Singh Lakhowal of BKU (Lakhowal).