Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers lathicharged after sit-in; many hurt in Amritsar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the restored historic memorial amidst a mild lathicharge on protesting activists of youth and farmer organisations outside the venue.While appreciating the restoration of the memorial, family members of the martyrs expressed disappointment at the PM not coming in person for the unveiling ceremony. “Neither the PM nor a senior BJP leader attended the ceremony in person,” they said. BJP leaders chose to attend the programme virtually.Unprecedented security was in place on the heritage alley leading to the memorial and major intersections — Hall Gate and Gheo Mandi Chowk — in the city.Activists of the Naujwan Bharat Sabha, Kirti Kisan Union and other farmer organisations squatted outside the Bagh before being removed by the police. They then staged a sit-in at the Hall Gate and Gheo Mandi Chowk.A group of protesters even entered the Golden Temple complex and left half an hour before the commencement of the virtual programme.The protesters clashed with the police to gain access to the venue, leading to the use of mild lathi-charge. Some protesters sustained injuries as the police huddled them in a bus and took them away. Manga Azad, general secretary, Naujwan Bharat Sabha, claimed the police rounded up around 100 persons after both sides were involved in jostling.In the morning, farmers and youth organisations held a sit-in outside the Bagh to prevent BJP leaders from attending the ceremony. Their leaders demanded repeal of the three agriculture laws. — TNS

The Tribune

2021-08-29

Amritsar