Farmers ignore Covid norms, hold rally in Amrisar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 18

Farmers under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) lodged their protest against the Centre’s farm laws at the Bhagtanwala grain market here and paid homage to those who lost their lives during the course of struggle on the Delhi borders.

Amritsar DC Gurpreet Singh Khaira said despite warning, they continued to flout the guidelines laid down in the light of Covid spread.

“The Mandi Board Department had issued a warning against holding a gathering. But the farmers didn’t pay heed to it and conducted an illegal programme, putting the lives of several persons in danger. This could never be ignored,” he said.

Nonetheless, KMSC state general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said the government resorted to torpedo the farmers protest under the garb of Covid spread.

“The farmers and labourers have a very strong immune system. Instead of coronavirus, the ill-will policies of the governments will kill the farmers and we were fighting for our survival and future of the next generations,” he said.

They demanded that the procurement of wheat should be carried out without any conditions. The condition of depositing the fard should be abolished, the crisis of bags should be resolved immediately and the lifting of wheat in mandis be expedited and farmers be compensated for the loss of crop due to inclement weather conditions.

“We are prepared to continue the struggle until our demands are met. We fight for repealing the laws, the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020, the Straw Pollution Act 2020, enactment of law guaranteeing MSP, and waiving debt as per election promise of the government”, he said.