COPS HALT FARMERS’ MARCH IN MANSA, NO ARRESTS

BATHINDA : Hundreds of farmers marching towards Delhi to take part in a protest on Friday called by Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh (RKM), an amalgamation of over 60 farmers’ organisations, were stopped by police near Bhikhi in Mansa district on Thursday.

Farmers under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Sidhupur) from different districts of the region, including Bathinda, Muktsar and Faridkot, were proceeding to Delhi in scores of tractor-trailers. Heavy police force was deployed in Bhikhi to stop farmers from marching ahead.

Inspector general of police (Bathinda zone) Mukhwinder Singh Chhina said farmers have been allowed to gather in Cheema Mandi and will not be allowed to march to Delhi. A leader of BKU (Ekta-Sidhupur), however, said that they will resume their march to Delhi.

PARAMILITARY FORCES CALLED IN

A report from Sangrur said though police personnel were deployed in different districts of the Malwa region, paramilitary forces have been called in to “control” farmers.

Confirming this, Sangrur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the farmers were stopped, but no arrests have been made.

In Sangrur, police stopped farmers in Bhawanigarh, Moonak, Chottian, Dhindsa and Badalgarh.

“Police stopped farmers at different points across the state. It is unjust and undemocratic,” said Gurbaksh Singh, Patiala district president of BKU (Ekta-Sidhupur).

“We had to stage a protest for the implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission and a total debt waiver,” he added.

BKU (Dakaunda) general secretary Jagmohan Singh said, “Though we are not part of this protest, we condemn police crackdown on farmers. The government is killing our democratic right to hold protests.”