Farmers Movement Archive

Former allies get same treatment in Punjab

BATHINDA: The SAD may have pulled out of the BJP-led NDA over the contentious farm laws but its leaders, especially former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s family, remain on the radar of farmers. Former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who visited Dodra and Bhadra villages in Mansa district on Sunday to meet the families of farmers who died during the ongoing protests against the agri laws, was shown black flags along the route and had to drop plans to meet other bereaved families. She accused rival parties of engineering protests against her when she had resigned from the Union Cabinet in support of farmers’ demands. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) and BKU (Ekta Dakonda) activists said SAD had initially supported the agri bills and took a lot of time in severing ties with BJP. Harsimrat was to visit bereaved families of farmers in Gurradi, Bachhoana, Dharampura, Barrey, Dodra, Bhadra and Boha villages. She visited Boha, Dodra and Bhadra and faced opposition in two villages. Even SAD president Sukhbir Badal was shown black flags at Fatehgarh Sahib recently. Meawnhile, BKU (Ekta Dakonda) said that deceased farmer Piara Singh’s family had requested Harsimrat not to come to offer for condolences. Piara Singh (72) of Dharampura village in Mansa district, had died on December 29 after returning from Delhi protest.

The Times of India

2021-01-04

Amritsar