Farmers Movement Archive

Bandh gets overwhelming response in holy city Amritsar

Tribune News ServiceAmritsar, March 26On the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call given by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (United Farmers Front), a large number of farmers on Friday took out demonstrations at various places across the district.The farmers have been holding protests against the three controversial laws enacted by the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the past nearly four months.The protest got an overwhelming response from a cross-section of society with markets and bazaars remaining shut till evening that threw normal life out of gear. Rail and bus services remained suspended and the railway station and the interstate bus terminus wore a deserted look in view of Bharat Bandh.The farmers gave a call for Bharat Bandh from 6am to 6pm. Besides trade unions, various other organisations also participated in the protest at different places and supported the farmers’ cause. Women and children also participated in the protests.Though the majority of people avoided stepping out of their houses due to the agitation throughout the day, those who ventured out faced problems as all the main roads, including highways, remained blocked by the protesting farmers and security personnel. However, they did not stop emergency services, including ambulances and medical services.Rattan Singh Randhawa of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha (part of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha), which held agitations at Attari, Chogwan, Majitha, Ajnala, Lopoke and Othian, said despite the month-long agitation, the Central Government did not accept the genuine demands of the farming community.The farmers’ unions also decided to hold a demonstration outside the offices of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in protest against recent orders regarding foodgrain procurement, which has created a flutter among the community in Punjab. “We will hold a protest on April 5 from 12 noon to 6pm against these autocratic orders by the FCI,” said Randhawa.Gurbachan Singh Chabba, state secretary of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, who led the protest at the Golden Gate said the Joint Farmers’ Front held a protest at 80 places across the district and overall 165 in 12 districts of the state. He said railway lines were blocked at 28 places in Amritsar.He said they would intensify their agitation in the near future if the government failed to accept their genuine demands. He said the farmers would continue their peaceful protest till then. The farmers protested bare-chested at the Vallah railway crossing.The police remained on their toes the entire day to thwart any untoward incident. Parminder Singh Bhandal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, said the agitations passed off peacefully. He said armed battalions of police and commandoes and the entire police force from the city and police stations were deputed on road for security.

The Tribune

2021-03-27