Farmers Movement Archive

Centre, Punjab failed to contain Covid spread, allege farmers

Patiala, May 28Farmers under the banner of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU Ugrahan) today started a three-day protest in Patiala alleging the Centre and state government had failed to act against the spread of Covid-19.Over 1,500 farmers gathered at the PUDA ground near the Tripuri police station. The farmers not only sat in straight lines ensuring social distancing but also wore masks, carried sanitisers and water bottles.Leaders of the union said the state and the central governments had failed in executing their duties in the pandemic.General secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said, “People are dying but the governments have not been able to ensure availability of ventilators for them. We have proved time and again that farmers in Haryana or elsewhere are not the reason for the spread of Covid. In fact, farmers and their families who came to the protest sites have been saved from Covid because we have been warning them and informing about ensuring safety and social distancing.”Responding to a question, he said actor Deep Sidhu along with some others was responsible for trying to derail the farmers’ protest.On Mission Fateh launched by the state government, he said, “The government failed in ensuring facilities for people. The Centre and state want to divert the attention of the people from important questions.” Manjit Singh Nyal, Patiala district president of BKU (Ugrahan), said, “We will continue the protest for three days. We will also ensure that Covid guidelines are followed. Farmers in far more numbers want to gather but we have decided to keep the gathering to a maximum of 1,500 to 2,000 only.”

The Tribune

2021-05-29