Farmers Movement Archive

Bains brothers’ cycle rally reaches Mohali

A cycle rally of the Lok Insaaf Party reached here this afternoon to protest outside the Punjab Chief Minister’s residence in Chandigarh. The rally, “Kisan Bachao, Punjab Bachao Rosh Yatra”, was flagged off from Amritsar two days ago.The UT police stopped hundreds of party workers, led by MLA Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains. They only allowed Bains brothers to proceed to the CM’s residence on bicycles. UT ASP Neha Yadav led them to the CM’s residence after they met duty officer tehsildar Suresh Kumar.Before leaving for the CM’s residence, Bains brothers said their protest rally, “Kisan Bachao, Punjab Bachao Rosh Yatra”, was purely in the interest of Punjab farmers.They said ordinances on agriculture, passed by the Centre recently, would ruin the future of Punjab farmers. To save Punjab, its farmers should be saved. Agriculture and farmers were under threat not only from the corporate, but also from the government. They would present a memorandum to the Punjab Chief Minister in this regard.To highlight the agrarian crisis, Bains brothers and other party activists had started the cycle rally from Amritsar two days ago. However, they were booked on the way by the Phagwara administration for allegedly violating the Covid-19 protocol.Simarjit Bains, while criticising the Centre for bringing ordinances on agriculture, said: “Agriculture is a state subject and bringing ordinance in such a manner only hints at centralisation of powers”.Bains brothers bookedThe Mohali police on Friday booked Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains, popularly known as Bains brothers, and their party workers for holding a cycle rally amid the Covid-19 outbreak.Members of the Lok Insaaf Party reached Mohali to meet the Punjab Chief Minister on bicycles under the campaign, “Kisan Bachao, Punjab Bachao Rosh Yatra”.DSP (City 1) Gursher Singh said: “We have registered a case against 150 activists, who gathered here during the cycle rally. Bains brothers are among four persons who have been named in the FIR. The case was registered under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act and Section 188 of the IPC at the Mataur police station.” The DSP said the MLAs were yet to be questioned in this matter.

The Tribune

2020-06-27

Mohali