Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers lay siege to corporate-owned fuel stations, stores in Sangrur, Barnala

Farmers in Sangrur and Barnala districts on Sunday laid siege to the fuel stations and stores owned by the corporate houses in protest against the Centre’s new agriculture laws on the fourth consecutive day as part of their indefinite ‘rail roko’ agitation. Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU Ekta-Ugrahan), including women, staged protests outside nearly 10 fuel stations of the Reliance Petroleum and four of Essar Group at Kheri, Malerkotla, Lehra, Bhawanigarh, Sunam, Benra, Toor Banjara and Katron villages of Sangrur and Bhotna, Dhaula, Mana Pindi and Sanghera villages of Barnala. The protesters also staged a sit-in outside the MBR Silo at Chhajli of Sangrur and a D-Mart store in Barnala. “We have been holding protests against the corporate houses whose owners are friends of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The big companies want to snatch our land. When these people will face losses, they will complain with Modi who will know about our protests,” said Roop Singh, a state committee member the BKU (Ugrahan). Saroop Chand, also a leader of the outfit, said, “The government wants to give away our land to the corporate sector. The protests will continue till the anti-farmer laws are repealed.”Senior officials of Reliance Petroleum said they were facing losses but refused to comment on the protests.Sangrur deputy commissioner Ramvir said the demonstrations are being held in a peaceful manner.Railway tracks blocked, singers extend supportHundreds of farmers blocked railway tracks in Sangrur, Sunam and Barnala towns to oppose the agriculture laws. Punjabi singers Kanwar Grewal and Harf Cheema participated in the protest in Sunam.“We don’t need to fight under separate banners. But the need of the hour is to fight under the guidance of the farmer unions. I appeal to the youth to join hands with our elders,” said Grewal.

Hindustan Times

05-10-2020

Chandigarh