Farmers continue siege of toll plazas, Reliance fuel stations

SANGRUR: Farmers under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) continued the siege of toll plaza and Reliance filling stations in Punjab, particularly Sangrur and Barnala districts, to oppose corporate houses against three agriculture laws.

The protests are being organised simultaneously when the farmer unions have been holding indefinite protests at the Delhi borders to oppose farm laws. However, despite a huge loss, private companies are mum on the issue.

In Barnala, the protesters staged dharnas at the Badbar toll plaza on the BathindaChandigarh national highway and Mehal Kalan village on the Barnala-Ludhiana road since October 1.

In Sangrur, protests were held at the Kalajhar toll barrier on the Chandigarh-Bathinda national highway and th toll plaza at Ladda village on the Sangrur-Ludhiana road. The Badbar and Kalajhar toll plazas were being run by the same company which completed its contract and left the possession a couple of months back.

Protests are being held outside Reliance fuel stations at Manna Pindi and Sanghera villages in Barnala. In Sangrur, the farmers organised dharnas in front of Reliance fuel stations at Kheri, Dhuri and Lehal Khurd villages.

Reliance Group officials said 19 of their fuel stations are under siege and the company is facing huge losses in Punjab.

Sangrur block chief of BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) Gobinder Singh said the farmers will continue protests outside the premises of the corporate houses till the central government repeals the three laws. “When people fight for a cause, one has to face some losses on other fronts,” he added.