Farmers gherao police station, 109 held
FARIDKOT: The local police arrested 109 farmers after they gheraoed the city police station in Faridkot on Thursday. The farmers were protesting against the government for not adhering with their demands including complete waiver of their debts and implementation of Prof MS Swaminathan report.
Farmers said that the report includes suggestions for the welfare of farmers but government is hesitant to implement the report. State president of Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupura) Jagjit Singh said, there can be no end to suicides by aggrieved farmers if the recommendations are not implemented.
The farmers were arrested after they refused to leave the spot. Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Jastinder Singh left his office as journalists sought his comments on the issue. He said that he cannot comment on the issue as he doesn't want to give any limelight to the protesting farmers.
FARMERS’ PROTEST ENTERS DAY TWO
BATHINDA: Continuing their protest demanding farm debt waiver and implementation of recommendations of Swaminathan Commission report, farmers under the banner of four unions courted arrest on Thursday. On day two, farmers protested in front of the district administrative complex, and were arrested by the police. The farmers were taken to Civil Lines police station.
They are protesting under four farmer unions — BKU (Ekta-Sidhupur), BKU (Kadian), Pagari Sambhal Jatta Lehar and Sangharsah Committee Doaba — from August 9 to August 15, across Punjab.
MANSA FARMERS COURT ARREST, SEEK WAIVER
MANSA: Mansa farmers courted their arrest, protesting against whitefly attack and delay in the implementation of Swaminathan commission report in Mansa on Wednesday. The farmers of Bharti Kisan Union (BKU Sidhupur) have been protesting in Mansa for the past two days. Since then, 39 farmers have courted arrest demanding debt waiver and government intervention to save cotton crop from whitefly attack.
“It is a nation-wide jail bharo andolan (court arrest) led by many farmer unions, demanding implementation of Swaminathan commission report. We want the intervention of state government to address the issue of whitefly attack on cotton crop in the region. We have submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner, but will court arrest till Sunday,” said Bhog Singh, a protester. The farmers were later granted bail by the court of subdivisional magistrate (SDM).
AMARINDER TO VISIT WHITEFLY-HIT AREAS
Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh will visit the whitefly affected cotton fields in Mansa on Thursday. Confirming the schedule, deputy commissioner (DC) Dharam Pal Gupta said that the chief minister will visit five villages that have reported maximum presence of whitefly in the cotton fields.