Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers protest against new PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu at Ballan village

Jalandhar, August 6PPCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu faced stiff opposition from members of various farmer organisations during his visit to the Dera Sachkhand Ballan here on Friday. Sidhu, who visited the house of the Balla village sarpanch in Jalandhar, faced a protest from farm leaders of the Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) and the Kirti Kisan Union who raised sloagns against him with black flags in hand. Farmers also had an altercation with police personnel who stopped them outside the street where Sidhu was going to visit the sarapanch.Farmers were held back by the policemen outside and not allowed to reach the spot where Sidhu was visiting. Raising slogans, the farmers protested against Sidhu and a war of words ensued. Farmers said the police warned that they would be arrested, but they did not relent.While farmers have announced a complete boycott of the BJP leaders on the call of the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha, they had also announced that they would ask tough questions from the rest of the leaders.Amarjit Singh Jadiala of the BKU Rajewal said, “He terms himself a well, but we were not even allowed to be near the leader. We were stopped outside so that we can’ confront him.”Kirti Kisan Union leader Santokh Singh Sandhu said on one hand, farmers were working on roads to earn their livelihoods, political parties were only bothered about their vote bank politics. They said Sidhu who called himself a well and the farmers thirsty was making misplaced statements ahead of the elections. Farmers said if he stood for the cause of farmers, he would have visited farmers’ homes or asked about any of their well being. On the occasion, BKU Rajewal district spokesperson Jathedar Kashmir Singh Jandiala, members Amrjit Singh Shergill, Amarjot Singh Jandiala, Balbir Singh Seham, among others were present.

The Tribune

2021-08-07