Register FIR or we’ll block Zirakpur, Mullanpur barriers: Farm activists

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 23

Several farm activists and heads of villages in and around City Beautiful formed a 15-member committee to seek satisfactory redressal of complaint filed by a woman farm activist against three BJP functionaries on August 20.

Also read: BJP activists pulled my hair: Woman farm protester in Chandigarh

The decision was taken in a meeting called at a gurdwara in Sector 38 by groups, which have been protesting against the three farm laws.

The committee has declared that it will meet the city SSP at 12 noon today and if an FIR on the basis of the woman’s complaint is not filed by evening, then they will block Mullanpur and Zirakpur barriers on August 25.

In her complaint, the woman activist accused Union Minister Anurag Thakur, along with two BJP leaders and 10 unidentified persons, of physical assault, threatening, false implication, and hurting religious feelings while she was peacefully protesting against the leader’s visit on a call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha.

A video of the incident, where her hair were being pulled by a man, had gone viral on social media. While the DSP told Chandigarh Tribune that an inquiry in the case was marked to the SHO of Sector 26 police station, farm activists fear police inaction.

“We have seen how the police becomes a mute spectator in many cases of state-incited violence across the country. The attack on woman farm activist is no different,” said Kanwaljit Singh of the Punjab Kisan Union.

“Such an incident happening in Chandigarh, which has a woman MP is disappointing. How come, Kirron Kher didn’t utter a single word against the incident? Is she not a woman? Not a single person from the BJP has apologised for the indecent behaviour meted out to a woman by a group of their men,” he added. He demanded an immediate apology from the BJP and an FIR against the accused.

Sukhjeet Kaur, member of Lok Akhikaar Lehar, Mohali, said, “This is pathetic. This government talks about ‘beti bachao’ and then takes to physically assaulting women! We’ll stand up for our women, no matter what.”