A call has been given by different organisations of Kisan Union to hold protest/ agitation in Patiala city from 22 September onwards. Seven unions— Bhartiya kisan union (BKU) (Ekta Ugarahan), BKU (Dakaunda), kirti kisan union, krantikari kisan union, BKU (Krantikari), kisan sangharsh committee (Azad), and kisan sangharsh committee (Pannu)—has given a call of protest/agitation due to the failure of Capt. Amrinder Singh led Congress government to write-off farm loans and giving employment in every household.
Continuing iit’s clear out to suppress the protest, the police have so far arrested more than 200 farmer activists from different parts of the state including Bathinda, Muktsar, Sangrur, Mansa, Moga, Barnala and Patiala, arresting activists associated with the unions.
The farmers under banner of farm unions protested in their respective villages against state government for arresting their activists following the call of protest in front of new Moti Mahal, a residence of Chief Minister of Punjab Capt. Amarinder Singh, from September 22 onwards.
There is an apprehension that this agitating organisation may disrupt traffic, regular trade activities and may hold the peace of city to ransom. The police cordoned off entry points to Patiala city so as to restrict movement of farmer activists.
The police official said the adequate security arrangements have been put in place to maintain law and order on the Protest call given by Kisan union in Patiala on 22nd September. Additional police force, the personnel of Punjab Armed Police, commandos companies and IRB battalions has been deployed in every nook and corner of the city mainly at entry points. To maintain law and order, to safeguard public interest, section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed in the district, which prohibits an assembly of five or more persons and has been abstained from holding meetings, raising slogans, holding protest etc. In any case person/ union/organisation organizes any such programme without the stipulated permission of Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, then relevant action will be initated against them, said an officer.
Among other demands, the farmers demanded government to assure MSP for all crops according to Swaminathan committee report, all the tenants and re-claimants be given ownership rights of the land they are cultivating, permanent arrangement of the stray and wild animals be made an arrangement of paddy straw disposal.
