Farmers burn effigies of BJP in Punjab, Haryana

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, spearheading the farmers’ stir in support of their demands, including a legal guarantee of the minimum support price for crops, on Thursday held protests against the BJP at several places in Punjab and Haryana.
Protesting farmers burnt effigies of the BJP at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana. They also burnt effigies at places, including Amritsar, Moga, Kurukshetra, Ambala, Sonipat and Panchkula.
Farmers said they will continue with their agitation till their demands are met.
The protesters criticised the Haryana government’s recent decision of recommending gallantry medals for six police officials for their role in preventing farmers from heading to Delhi as part of their Delhi Chalo programme.
The Haryana government, in its recommendations sent to the Centre recently, had recommended the names of six police officers, three of them from the IPS and three others from Haryana Police Service, for the “police medal for gallantry”.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “Police officers are being rewarded for stopping farmers from going to Delhi by using force.” Pandher said the Haryana Police used teargas shells and rubber bullets against farmers when they were trying to head towards Delhi in February.
The six officers were deployed during the farmers’ protests at Shambhu and Khanauri borders where security personnel prevented the protesting farmers from marching towards the national capital.
During the Thursday protest, farmers raised slogans against the Centre and the Haryana government. “The agitation will continue till the demands of farmers and labourers are not met,” Pandher said.
The protesting farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 when their Delhi Chalo march was stopped by the security forces.
A young farmer, Bathinda native Shubhkaran Singh, was killed and many police personnel injured in clashes at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border on February 21.