Conflict between BJP members and farmers in Amritsar: KMSC protests outside the SSP office
The Kisan union organized a large-scale protest outside the SSP rural office one day after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) activists clashed in Bhitewid village. They demanded that a police case be filed against the perpetrators of the assault and that the relevant police officers be held accountable. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the BJP candidate for gherao, received a call from Union leader Swaran Singh Pandher tomorrow in Majitha.
The KMSC local unit clashed with BJP supporters yesterday in Bhitewid village while questioning Mukhwinder Singh Mahal, the head of the party. The farmer unions had called for all parties’ representatives to be questioned on problems pertaining to farmers, including the BJP. In an attempt to file a complaint against the BJP members for allegedly attacking farmers and laborers who went to calmly question Mahal, a sizable contingent of farmers and agricultural laborers demonstrated today in front of the SSP rural office.
The DIG Border Range and SSP rural areas were also visited by district secretary Gurlal Singh Mann, district president Ranjit Singh Kaler Bala, and head of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Swaran Singh Pandher.
In the evening, SSP Satinder Singh and DIG Border Range Rakesh Kaushal spoke to a group of farmers, assuring them that legal action would be taken against those who had broken the law. The involvement of the police officers in attendance and others who made comments about the event will be investigated.
The Punjab Police personnel, according to the farmer leaders, were mute witnesses to the occurrence, which is how the problem got out of control.
Speaking on the occasion, state union officials Gurbachan Singh Chaba and Kandhar Singh Bhoewal said that demonstrations are being held at the Shambhu railway station on the Delhi-Amritsar train route in addition to the rally at the Shambhu border. According to Chaba, the government’s authoritarian stance is to blame for the farmers’ unwillingness to stop trains or roads. He urged the general public to take up the cause of rights. The BJP candidates Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Manjit Singh Manna from the Amritsar and Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seats will face questioning, according to Kisan leader Bhoewal. If they avoid answering, the union will raise red flags.
A number of agricultural laborers and female activists were there, including Dayal Singh Mianwind, Baldev Singh Baga, Balwinder Singh Rumanachak, Lakhwinder Singh Dala, Kuljit Singh Kale, Sukhdev Singh Chatiwind, and Savinder Singh Rupowali.
