Farmers Movement Archive

Traffic mess in Jalandhar: Farmers protest Karnal lathicharge

Jalandhar, August 29In protest against the lathicharge against farmers in Karnal (Haryana) on Saturday, farmers in Jalandhar blocked the PAP highway for two hours. Farmers of the Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) held up traffic at the PAP Chowk from 12 to 2 pm. A two-hour blockade at the PAP Chowk caused traffic to be routed from alternate routes.The farmers raised sloagns against the Central Government and said such violent action against farmers would not be tolerated. A huge blockade on the highway created a traffic jam which lasted hours. Farmers gathered in huge numbers and raised slogans against the Central Government.At 12.30pm, a huge cavalcade of vehicles was routed through Jalandhar Cantt where a huge number of vehicles queued up to be cleared into the main entrance to the cantonment.With the PAP Chowk blocked, the only alternate route — through Cantt — to the main highway through Cantt hence faced traffic congestion for the larger part of the afternoon lasting both before and after the dharna. Many students who had to appear for exams for head constable and jail warden as well as exams of the co-opertave department also remained harried. Students had to appear for exams at centres as varied as Lyallpur Khalsa College, PAP and Lovely Professional University. With roads blocked, some students reached the centres walking.Farmers of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee also held a protest against the action against the farmers in Karnal on Sunday by the Haryana police. At a protest in Lohian, they burnt effigies of CM Manohar Lal Khattar as well as the Modi government at the centre.The highway blocakde at the PAP Chowk also caused inconvenience to other commuters who went about their daily business. It also resulted in a traffic bottleneck at the Jalandhar Cantt entry point.Condemning the action by the Haryana police, farmer leaders said the police personnel guilty of acting against farmers should be booked. They also demanded that the arrested farmers should be released. Farmers said the government had tried its best to disrupt the farmers’ protest, but had been unsuccessful. They said the action against farmers yesterday was also an attempt to demorialise them. They said rather than that, the incident will act as further impetus to intensify their agitation.They said they will not relent until the three farm laws are withdrawn. From BKU rajewal, state president Mandeep Singh Samra, spokesperon Kashmir Singh Jandiala, secretary Abinder Singh Sansarpur, advisor Amarjit Singh Shergill, Youth President Amarjot Singh Jandiala among others were present.

The Tribune

2021-08-30