Congress joins farmers protest against AAP govt in Punjab

Seeking financial packages from the Centre and compensation from the Mann government for the damaged crops, thousands of farmers led by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) marched towards Chandigarh on Tuesday, August 22.

They were joined by the Congress in Mohali.

However, as per the Tribune, 75 per cent of the Mohali police force along with the RPF, has been deployed on the ground to stop farmers from reaching Chandigarh, but some of them managed to slip away.

Joining the farmers' protest, Congress attacked both — the Mann government in Punjab and Khattar government in Haryana for the crackdown on farmers. "What crime have farmers committed?" asked Haryana Congress.

Congress leader and leader of the opposition in Punjab, Partap Singh Bajwa said, “I think Hitler’s spirit has entered Bhagwant Mann. I consider Bhagwant Mann responsible for what happened with farmers yesterday, especially the death of a farmer in Longowal in lathi-charge. Immediate action should be taken against the Police officials who indulged in the brute lathi charge.”

 “INC requests the Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court to take suo-motu note of this, a case under Section 302 IPC be made against Bhagwant Mann and the concerned Police officials be made the co-conspirators — FIR be registered against them too,” added Pratap Singh Bajwa.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann be booked on murder charges.

During the protest on Monday, a farmer was killed at Longowal town in Sangrur district. Farmers claimed that several of their leaders, including KMSC president Sarwan Singh Pandher, Satkar Singh Kotli, and Bohr Singh of the BKU (Behramke), had been "detained" by the Punjab Police.

Farmers have sought a package of Rs 50,000 crore from the central government for the flood-affected states in order to provide a permanent solution to the floods. Also, they have been demanding Rs 50,000 per acre compensation for flood-affected farmers.

16 farmer unions from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, UP and Uttarakhand had a meeting in Mohali in the first week of August. It was decided in the meeting that farmers will gherao Chandigarh on August 22 with an intent to press the state government on the flood package issue.