Protesting farmers beat thalis

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 27

Farmers across the district on Sunday beat thalis during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat programme to protest against the three agriculture laws passed recently by the Central Government. They also raised slogans against the PM.

Protest events were also organised in several villages of the border belt where people collectively beat utensils to express their anguish.

A farmer leader, Rattan Singh Randhawa of Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, said, “The people are agitated as even after a month of protest in Delhi amid chill, the government is still indifferent.” He said the government must repeal the laws in view of the sentiments of the large section of the society. The Prime Minister should also listen to the public’s ‘mann ki baat’, he added.

Another farmer leader, Dilbag Singh, while leading a protest in the city, said, “If the Prime Minister is not ready to listen to our mann ki baat, we would not listen to his. The idea of the protest is to show him that we do not care about his talks unless he listens to us.”

Mangal Singh Rampura, a leader from the Kisan Sangharsh Committee, said, “The three laws are against the interest of the farming community. We will not allow the government to sell out farming to corporate houses.”

He said farmers in large numbers were going to join the Delhi protest and they would not relent until the laws are repealed.

Tarn Taran: Farmers and workers of many organisations on the call given by the Joint Farmers’ Morcha banged utensils and drums to protest against PM Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ here on Sunday.

Activists of the Khalra Mission Organisation (KMO), Manukhi Adhikar Insaf Sangharsh Committee and other Sikh organisations organised a protest by beating drums as PM addressed his ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Jagdeep Singh Randhawa, Baba Darshan Singh and other representatives of Sikh organisations said the time had come for minority communities to be united against the divisive policies of the Central govenment. Workers of the Zamhoori Kisan Sabha, Dehati Mazdoor Sabha and Janvadi Isti Sabha beat utensils to lodge their protest against the autocratic functioning of the Central government which was in no mood to resolve the farmer agitation in the country. Baldev Singh Pandori and other leaders of the different organisations too addressed on the occasion and called the oppressed sections of the society to be united against the Modi government. The leaders also demanded withdrawal of the farm laws.

Farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Commiittee, Punjab, gathered in Chabal, Manochahal Kalan, Mannan, Dalake and Plasauar, organised protests by beating thalis during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme.