Police Conduct Raids at Homes of Farmer Leaders in Punjab Following Failed Talks
Click to start listening
Synopsis
In Punjab, following unsuccessful negotiations between the state government and farmer unions, police have initiated raids at the homes of farmer leaders, including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, as tensions escalate ahead of planned protests.
Key Takeaways
- Raids conducted at homes of farmer leaders post talks failure.
- Protests by farmers scheduled to begin on March 5.
- Chief Minister expresses willingness for future discussions.
- Concerns raised over public inconvenience due to protests.
- Farmers' demands include land rights and debt relief.
Chandigarh, March 4 (NationPress) Shortly after negotiations between the Punjab government, headed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and farming unions associated with Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) fell apart, law enforcement officials launched raids on the residences of prominent farmer leaders, including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, on Tuesday.
Some individuals have been taken into custody in anticipation of a weeklong protest by farmers, commencing in Chandigarh on March 5.
The discussions aimed at addressing farmers’ demands collapsed unexpectedly on Monday evening, with farmer representatives asserting that a “furious” Chief Minister Mann “stormed out of the meeting without provocation.”
Following the meeting's conclusion, SKM leaders declared their intention to proceed with a large sit-in protest in Chandigarh.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), remarked that the dialogue with the Chief Minister had been progressing well. “We had discussed eight or nine of our 18 demands when Mann claimed he had an eye infection and needed to leave,” he informed the media. “The CM inquired about our plans for the March 5 protest, to which we responded that discussions were still ongoing and we would decide on our protest plans after that,” Ugrahan continued, adding that the CM became upset and exited the meeting, urging “us to protest.”
Later, Chief Minister Mann stated that his doors “are always open for discussions with farmers, but public inconvenience and harassment should be avoided in the name of agitation.”
During a gathering with farmers, the Chief Minister emphasized that the “government is consistently prepared to address issues affecting various segments of society through dialogue to prevent disruption to the common man via road or railway blockades.”
He pointed out that such actions cause significant problems for the public, fostering opposition towards protesters and generating discord within society.
The CM lamented that the average citizen suffers greatly due to these protests, which are unnecessary and undesirable.
Although he acknowledged that protesting is a democratic right of farmers, he urged them to consider the substantial losses inflicted on the state.
He mentioned that traders and industrialists are lamenting that frequent disruptions to roads and railways are harming their businesses.
CM Mann appealed to farmers to refrain from employing tactics that lead to societal discord. Conversely, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal accused the Chief Minister of attempting to intimidate them during the meeting. In addition to implementing the agricultural policy, the demands of BKU (Ugrahan) include land allocation for landless laborers and debt forgiveness for farmers and laborers.
