Farmers Movement Archive

Chakka jam brings highway traffic to a screeching halt

Amritsar, November 5Farmer activists on Thursday participated in a nationwide chakka jam held at different places in the district from 12 noon to 4 pm and expressed their anguish over the three farm laws implemented by the Centre.A massive protest was held on the national highway near Attari during which vehicular traffic, including trucks of the Border Security Force, were stopped by farmers who were agitating under the banner of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha and the Kirti Kisan Union (Punjab).Protesters raised slogans against the Central Government and urged that the controversial laws should be repealed. Rattan Singh Randhawa of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha said the Central Government has developed indifferent attitude towards the needy.He added that the Centre was trying to subdue farmers so that they could be forced to end their protests. “Being a leader of the largest democracy in the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should reach out to farmers,” he said.Datar Singh of the Kirti Kisan Union (Punjab) said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party through its propaganda machinery is trying to portray farmers’ protest as politically motivated. The Centre should have an audacity to listen to voters.”He said the plight of small and marginal farmers in the country was deplorable and new farm laws would further aggravate the situation.Farmers under the banner of the Kisan Majdoor Sangarsh Committee blocked traffic on Amritsar-Jalandhar national highway near the entrance gate of the city.Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary, Kisan Majdoor Sangarsh Committee, said farmers were in no mood to relent and the protests would continue until the farm laws were not revoked.Private bus operators did not ply their buses as they had already expressed solidarity with the protesting farmers. The police personnel could be seen diverting traffic towards the link roads.Meanwhile, farmers’ protest at the railway stations, toll plazas and petrol pumps entered the 36th day.Tarn Taran: The chakka jam call given by the farmers’ organisations evoked massive response in Tarn Taran. Not even a single vehicle was seen plying on the roads from 12 noon to 4 pm in the district.Harpreet Singh Sidhwan of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee said farmers staged a dharna at 13 different points, which lead to the highways and even women participated in the protest.He said they would continue with their stir as long as the Centre does not revoke the controversial farm laws.Members of the Azad Kisan Sangharsh Committee staged dharna on Tarn Taran-Amritsar road near Reliance petrol station at Tharu village.

The Tribune

2020-11-06