Farmers Movement Archive

Bandh call gets support from all sections

Amritsar, December 7As kisan unions are gearing up to make the ‘Bharat Bandh’ successful on December 8, residents, traders, government employees and students have expressed total support. The unions announced to observe ‘chakka jam’ from 11 am to 3 pm.Many businesses in the city declared to keep their establishments closed to support the ongoing protest against the controversial three agri laws.The farm associations urged shopkeepers and other sections of the society to support the farmers’ protest.Rattan Singh Randhawa of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha said, “The issue is not related to farmers only. If implemented, these laws will have wider implications. Farmers’ stir is going on peacefully and is inching towards success.”He said activists of all kisan unions would be staging protests at different places. He said they were banking on voluntary support from masses. Members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee took out a motorcycle rally to create awareness regarding the ‘Bharat Bandh’.Sarwan Singh Pandher of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee said, “We appeal the general public to support the bandh. Farmers were pushed to the wall and forced to start protest.”He said their activists would only appeal shopkeepers in case they open shops and would not misbehave with them. “Our purpose is to continue the protest peacefully. We will also keep a watch on the situation. We fear that people who are opposing farmers may try to defame the protesters,” he said.Meanwhile, Damdami Taksal and the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to agree to the demands of protesting farmers.Baba Harnam Singh, head, Damdami Taksal, urged the Centre to revoke three agri laws and asked masses to take part in the ‘Bharat Bandh’.Piara Lal Seth, chief of the PPBM, said industry and trade suffered a lot this year in the wake of the Covid-19.He said the government should respect feelings of protesting farmers. He said expulsion of small farmers from the agriculture would mean that a number of traders and shopkeepers would also lose their earnings. Anoop Singh Virdi, chief, Sri Guru Singh Sabha, extended support to farmers. He said it was unjust to prefer corporate houses over farmers.Members of the Amritsar Poultry Association also forwarded support to the protesting farmers. The decision was taken in a meet attended Col Jagjit Singh Sahi (retd), Yogesh Sharma, Jaspal Singh Dhillon, Baljit Singh, Jwala Deep Sharma, Ashwani Sharma and Gautam Arora.GS Bedi, chief, Amritsar Poultry Association, said small poultry farmers were not getting good rates after the arrival of big players in this trade. He said a penalty of Rs 1 crore and imprisionment for burning crop residue was too harsh on farmers.

The Tribune

2020-12-08