Punjab farmers protest lockdown, break norms
Call to defy weekend curbs gets lukewarm response among traders as most keep shops shut
Farmers took out protest marches at several places in Punjab on Saturday against the weekend lockdown imposed by the state government amid rising cases of Covid-19 infection and fatalities.
Despite appeals by the protesting farmers, traders across the state kept their shops shut on Saturday.
The protests were taken out in Sangrur, Moga, Patiala, Amritsar, Ajnala, Barnal, among other places in the state.
Farmers, including women, took out marches in the markets and appealed to shopkeepers and traders through loudspeakers to open their shops. However, the shopkeepers kept the shops closed.
Police personnel in adequate numbers were deployed across the state in the wake of farmers’ protest.
In Amritsar, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) held their protest marches on the Fatehgarh Churian and Batala roads while the members of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) marched through the markets of the city. Most of the shops, barring a few dealing in essential items, remained closed.
The union leaders also raised slogans against the state and the central governments for imposing “severe” lockdown in the state. They asked the administration to allow the shopkeepers to open their businesses.
In Tarn Taran district, KMSC
leaders failed to convince the traders as they kept their shops shut.
In Barnala, the farmers assembled at the city railway station parking and took out a protest march through the markets, while in Sangrur, supporters of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha gathered near the railway station before marching through the town’s markets. Farmers associated with the BKU (Ekta-ugrahan) marched from Sangrur grain market to smaller markets.
“All farmer and labour unions participated in the protest against lockdown. Though we have been speaking against the lockdown since last year, the people of the state are not in a position to face another lockdown and it should be ended. The government should provide health services and recruit doctors to protect people from Covid-19,” said Balour Singh Channa, the Barnala block chief of BKU (Ekta-ugrahan).
Asked about the poor response from shopkeepers,
Channa said, “We are trying to motivate shopkeepers and educate them about the anti-people policies of the government.”
Barnala deputy commissioner TSP Phoolka said the district was totally peaceful and there was no need for any action, while his Sangrur counterpart Ramvir said if any one violates the Covid norms, action will be taken as per law.
In Patiala too, the protest call received a lukewarm response from the traders as the shops across the district remained shut. Jang Singh, a farmer leader, said farmers have come in support of traders to help them in running their businesses. “The traders are reluctant to open their shops fearing fines and FIRS. We warn the government to stop intimidating shopkeepers,” he said.
In Bathinda, 14 daily diary reports were registered at various police stations for violation of curfew orders and Covid guidelines by the protesters. SSP BS Virk said due legal action would be taken in the matter.