Farmers warn against ending protest on Covid spread pretext

Amritsar, April 19

A large gathering of farmers to oppose the three agricultural laws was organised at Kukranwala village near Ajnala on Monday. Farmers warned the government against taking any action to end the protest forcibly on the pretext of the Covid-19 spread.

Farmer leaders said they would oppose any such move with all their might and would not end the protest until their demands were accepted.

The event organised by actor Sonia Mann witnessed participation of several Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders, including BKU (Ekta) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Kirti Kisan Union vice-president Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala, Punjab Kisan Union president Ruldu Singh Mansa, Jamhoori Kisan Sabha president Kulwant Sandhu, Kandela Khap Panchayat (Haryana) president Chet Ram Kandela and Gaurav Tikait, son of Rakesh Tikait.

“This gathering is meant to reconnect people from Majha with the farmers’ cause,” said Sonia, whose father Baldev Singh Mann, a leader of Kirti Kisan Union, was gunned down by Sikh militants.

Ugrahan said the three farm laws were detrimental to the agricultural sector. He said, “Farmers are unable to meet their expenses even with the MSP but the government is trying to open the sector for the corporate.” He added corporate houses would exploit farmers and offer them lower prices when the prevailing market system collapsed.

Commenting on Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s statement that the Centre was ready to hold talks with farmers, Ugrahan said, Tomar had nothing to offer and needed to get the permission from the Prime Minister before issuing any statement. — TNS