Farmers Movement Archive

Farm outfits change gears amid protests

In view of the decision of various farmers’ associations to stage mass protests and ensure free movement of all at toll plazas on December 12, police and civil administration are on alert. Some farm leaders have already started making announcements in this regard in villages. On December 14, farmers’ organisations as well as other unions and organisations have announced gherao of all ministers and MPs. Four rounds of talks between the government and farmers, whop have been protesting against three agri-marketing laws, since November have failed to halt the blockade. While protesters are insisting that the laws be repealed, the Centre has refused to do so. “The gathering will be more than that in Delhi. Announcements are being made in villages to participate in protests at toll plazas on Saturday and in front of DC offices on Monday. The morale of farmers is high after the central government admitted that new laws are not perfect,” said BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) Sangrur leader Jagtar Singh. Patiala BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Jaswant Singh said, “Farmers will be sitting at all the toll plazas in Punjab, where commuters do not have to pay a single penny. Our protest is against the silos godowns and fuel filling stations directly under control of the Reliance corporate. The protest at toll plazas will surely witness huge gatherings.” Hisar district collector and deputy commissioner Priyanka Soni has appointed 20 duty magistrates in the district to maintain law and order. Besides, eight duty magistrates have also been kept in reserve. In rural areas, young workers of farm unions have started calling for boycott of BJP and JJP leaders and to restrict their entry to villages. A video of a young worker of BKU (Charuni), Mandeep Singh Waraich of Lohar Majra village in Pehowa area of Kurukshetra district surfaced on Thursday, in which he can be heard urging farmers to reach toll plazas in large numbers to ensure the success of the toll-free movement on December 12. “We supported and elected Sandeep Singh as MLA from Pehowa, who is now Haryana sports and youth affairs minister. But he has been speaking in favour of the Centre’s three ‘black laws’ and did not take any stand with the protesting farmers of his constituency, which is an agrarian block,” he told TOI. “On Saturday, the toll plaza at Thana village will be freed according to the directions of our senior leader Gurnam Singh Charuni. A mahapanchayat will also be held on the day, to discuss the minister’s (Sandeep) boycott and restrict his entry to villages. A resolution will also be passed in this regard,” he added. Vicky of Sandhola village said, “Our village has already restricted the entry of BJP-JJP leaders. In October, the minister had an event scheduled in our village but it was cancelled after he came to know that we will be opposing him.” Haryana home minister Anil Vij had also faced opposition and was shown black flags by some farmers in Panjokhra Sahib village on November 30. A day later, Union minister and Ambala MP Rattan Lal Kataria and Ambala City MLA Aseem Goel were also shown black flags at Jandali in Ambala City. Officials revealed that in Punjab, there are 23 toll plazas under the state government and 25 under NHAI. NHAI regional officer R P Singh said, “There are 48 toll plazas in Punjab and Haryana under NHAI, of which 25 are in Punjab.” (With inputs from Kumar Mukesh in Hisar, Bharat Khanna in Patiala and J K Singh in Pehowa)

The Times of India

2020-12-12

Chandigarh