Punjab: SKM holds protests outside residences of AAP MLAs

Chandigarh: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Monday held protests in various parts of Punjab against the ruling government over thwarting their attempts to hold an agitation in Chandigarh a few days ago.

The protesting farmers staged sit-ins in front of the residences and offices of various AAP MLAs, including minister Mohinder Bhagat in Jalandhar, MLAs Narinder Kaur Bharaj in Sangrur, Dev Mann in Nabha, Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi in Batala and Manjit Singh in Moga.

They slammed the Punjab government for "detaining" several farmer leaders ahead of their March 5 protest programme.

"We are holding our protests peacefully," said farmer leader Ravneet Brar, who was sitting outside MLA Kulwant Singh’s office in Mohali along with other farmers.

The SKM, a conglomerate of over 30 farmer bodies, had planned a week-long 'dharna' in Chandigarh from March 5 to demand, among multiple requests, the purchase of six crops at minimum support price by the state government.

However, Punjab Police stopped farmers from going to Chandigarh for the protest.

The SKM, which had led the 2020 agitation against the now-repealed three farm laws, is also demanding the implementation of the state's agricultural policy, a legal framework for debt relief after coordinating with the Centre, ownership rights of land tillers and payment of sugarcane arrears.

Besides these demands, it is pressing for stopping "forcible" acquisition of land for the Bharatmala projects, jobs, compensation for kin of farmers who lost lives during the farmers' stir in 2020-21, revoking the policy of installing prepaid electricity metres, resolving issue of stray animals and curbing black marketing of fertilizers and spurious seeds.