Farmers Movement Archive

Farm activists booked for unlawful assembly

Bathinda: Nearly 200 activists of farm labour organisation Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union have been booked for unlawfully assembling at Bathinda to hold a protest for debt waiver. A case under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act has been registered at the Bathinda Civil Lines police station. The labour outfit had held a protest near Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s office at Bathinda on Tuesday. Those who have been booked include organisation state general secretary Lachhman Singh Sewewala, Master Sewak Singh, Tirath Singh, Hansa Singh, Gogar Singh and 190 unidentified persons. They had also held protests at other places, including Badal village. “We are not bothered by the cases and want the debt on farm labours should be waived and the dalit women, who have availed small loans by forming self help groups, should not be harassed by microfinance institutions for recovery of loans,” said Lachman Sewewala. Meanwhile, undeterred by the cases registered against farm labourers, the activists of farm organisation BKU Ekta Ugrahan continued assembling at various place and holding protests against three agri ordinances even on day two.

The Times of India

2020-08-27

Chandigarh