Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal and Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader Raminder Singh refused to attend a meeting called by the Punjab government and announced a protest at district headquarters across the state on March 28, alleging repression by the state government.
The decision comes after key farmer leaders accused the Punjab administration of using excessive force against protesting farmers and unlawfully detaining several leaders. They also cited unfavourable conditions for not participating in the meeting.
Notably, two days after Punjab police cleared the Sambhu and Khanauri border and removed the temporary structures erected by the protesting farmers, the state’s Agriculture minister, Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, called for a meeting of farmer leaders on Friday in Chandigarh.
Harinder Singh Lakhowal said, “Today, the Punjab government called a meeting with us. The kind of atrocities that happened to us, we were removed (from protest sites) illegally…so many people are still jailed. We have decided not to attend this meeting. We will hold a protest on 28th (March) against this at district headquarters…”
Raminder Singh echoed similar concerns, stating that the situation in Punjab was being turned into a “police state” where farmers were being targeted unfairly.
” …During the meeting we held here, we have reached this conclusion that efforts are being made to make Punjab a Police state…farmers were repressed…7-8 farmer leaders were jailed, and they weren’t allowed to come back to Chandigarh.”
“Central govt had invited those farmer leaders for a meeting, and the Punjab govt was also a part of that meeting…still, these leaders were jailed…this is not the way that they first invited someone and then held them as they were returning. Democratic space is being curbed,” he added.
“We have decided to hold a demonstration outside district headquarters and have appealed to all farmers to participate in it,” he added further.
Meanwhile, farmers in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirappalli staged a ‘rail roko’ protest on the Cauvery Railway Bridge. The protest was led by celebrated farmer leader and lawyer P Ayyakannu.
The demonstration was held in response to the action taken against farm leaders in Punjab, who were protesting against the government while pressing various demands, including a legal guarantee for a Minimum Support Price (MSP) on all crops.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and local police intervened to control the situation and clear the tracks.
(With inputs from ANI)
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