Jalandhar/Bathinda: Farmers last week held protests across the state even as the BJP held programmes to celebrate former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary. In Jalandhar, several farmers received minor injuries during a standoff between them and the police outside the residence of former Cabinet Minister and BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia. As the farmers attempted to break through the barricades, the police used force in which some of them incurred minor injuries. During the commotion, the turbans of some leaders also came off.
Patiala farmers started an indefinite protest outside the residence of BJP district president Harinder Kohli, demanding his resignation over the farm laws. Meeting farmers, Kohli said: “The Union Agriculture Minister along with other senior leaders have already reached out to farmers. But I will demand from the high command to find a solution at the earliest.”
DCP, Jalandhar, Gurmeet Singh, said: “We were just trying to prevent protesters from entering the BJP leader’s house. The turbans came off during the struggle which ensued while we were trying to stop them.” Farmers also gheraoed a venue where a programme was being held to commemorate the late Prime Minister. They later headed to the BJP office, which had been cordoned off by hundreds of police personnel, and held a peaceful protest.
In Bathinda, farmers ransacked the venue where BJP workers were celebrating the birth anniversary of Vajpayee. A video purportedly showing BJP workers running away from the spot has gone viral on social media. The police present at the spot had to use mild force to disperse the mob. In Kotkapura town of Faridkot also, farmers disrupted a programme of BJP workers.
In Muktsar, farmers held a peaceful protest outside a hotel where the BJP activists held a programme. A large number of police personnel were deployed there and no untoward incident took place. The farmers took out a protest march in Muktsar town, removed the hoardings of some private companies from some grocery shops. They also lodged a protest in front of a grocery shop owned by the family of BJP’s Muktsar district president Rajesh Pathela.
In Malout too, the farmers protested outside the BJP’s similar event. They even closed the gate of the hall, where the programme was being organised. Later, the police helped the BJP activists to come out from the hall. In Fazilka, the BJP celebrated Vajpayee's birth anniversary amid the protest. Farmers forcibly shut an insurance company’s office. In Ropar, farmers and members of Punjab Students Union gheraoed the farmhouse of BJP leader Iqbal Singh Lalpura at Kalwan village. Later, they snapped the power supply to a telecom tower at Jhajj village.
