Farmers Movement Archive

Sukhbir Badal’s programmes in Doaba getting marred by protests

Jalandhar, November 17If it were the farmers who tried to hinder the campaign of SAD chief Sukhbir Badal at Nawanshahr yesterday, today it were the Bahujan Samaj Party workers who led a protest ahead of his programme in Phillaur.Ever since Sukhbir has started campaigning, the farmers have been trying to gherao him at various locations. Last month, an angry protestor had even flung a slipper on his convoy, when he had come to pay obeisance at Devi Talab Mandir.Today’s protest by BSP workers was against the decision of giving Phillaur reserved seat to the SAD. The workers have been since long demanding that this seat should have been vested with the BSP, which was placed well here.The workers said they had decided to show black flags to Sukhbir and gherao BSP state president Jasvir S Garhi. Aware that the protestors would not let him pass, Garhi reportedly dropped his plan to join Sukhbir at the campaign programmes held in Phillaur constituency today.Yesterday during his campaign in Nawanshahr, Sukhbir had to face a volley of questions from the agitating farmers, who through the local administration had sought a public meeting with him at Chak Dana village.Farmers led by Kuldeep Singh Bajidpur, president, Doaba Kisan Union and member Samyukt Kisan Morcha, had readied a questionnaire of 18 posers for Sukhbir which he had to answer publicly standing in front of them for about 34 minutes with both sides given a microphone.Sukhbir arrived 1.5 hours late behind the scheduled time of 10.30 am, which had already led to more anger. He answered only seven of the 18 questions, cross-questioned them back to their disliking and left in between with the farmers raising slogans, announcing to block his passage during his events today and threatening that he will be gheraoed repeatedly at all his venues.The first question asked to him was as to why he was holding political events despite an assurance by his representatives that these would be kept on hold till the Assembly polls are announced. Sukhbir told them that the farmers were stopping his way only while not disturbing the events of Congress and AAP.“Why don’t you also gherao Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also the way you do it with me? I am here to answer all your queries on your request. Why don’t you ask them also to reply the same way?” Sukhbir put his query back.The farmers got a bit annoyed saying: “You have been called here to answer to our questions and not counter-question us. Still we will like to tell you that we have been gheraoing only MPs. We did that with Manish Tewari earlier”.The next poser was as to why the SAD remained aligned with BJP for three months even as it knew that the Farm Ordinances were being brought in. Sukhbir replied saying, “We broke our old alliance. We left the Cabinet post just to stand with you”. The farmers said: “We do not want such statements that have been a part of your political speeches. We are not satisfied with your reply”. Questions were also asked on sacrilege issue to which Sukhbir confronted all allegations and left not answering the pending 11 questions.At this, the farmers blocked his way and his convoy had to take a longer detour from villages to reach his next spot at Rahon. The SAD President had held a number of programmes.Temple, market tour in Phillaur tooFollowing the same temple, market tour plan even at Phillaur on Wednesday, Badal also paid obeisance at various religious places including historical Hanuman Mandir, Vaishno Devi Temple, Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir, Shiv Mandir, Gurdwara Takhtgarh Sahib and Guru Ravidass Mandir in Phillaur. He also visited the renowned Burfi wala at Goraya and partook sweets there. Later in Phillaur market, he ate street food and also held a freewheeling discussion with the shopkeepers. Badal also paid floral tributes to social reformer and writer Shardha Ram Phillauri and Dr BR Ambedkar.

The Tribune

2021-11-18