AAP, farmers protest agri ordinances

THE PROTESTERS GATHERED ON TRACTORS WITH PLACARDS AND ALSO PRESSED FOR REDUCING FUEL PRICES; MANY SEEN WITHOUT MASKS AND VIOLATED SOCIAL DISTANCING

BATHINDA :Farmer unions along with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists held protests in Bathinda and adjoining districts against the Centre, demanding the rollback of the ordinances related to the agriculture sector.

The protesters gathered in a large numbers on tractors with placards and also pressed for reducing fuel prices.

However, several activists were seen moving without masks and violated social distancing during the protest.

A senior leader of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), Ramkaran Singh Raman charged the central government of formulating policies to suppress the farming sector.

He said the three ordinances issued by the government were against the interests of small and marginal farmers and must be taken back.

AAP activists also raised slogans against the Congress government in Punjab for ignoring the interests of farmers.

AAP district president Navdeep Singh Jeeda said fuel prices have rocketed and chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh did nothing to bring down taxes as a relief to the agrarian state.

He said the farming community has serious apprehension that the minimum support price mechanism and assured marketing system may be disbanded by the Centre to benefit the corporate sector.