E-Paper
BKU holds protest against police action on farmers
Union president Joginder Singh Ugrahan pressed for compensation for cotton crop damaged due to pink bollworm attack and action against the Muktsar deputy commissioner for ordering an alleged lathi-charge on farmers at Lambi village in Muktsar
BATHINDA: The BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) on Friday staged a protest near Muktsar district administrative complex (DAC) against the alleged use of force by the police on protesting farmers on March 28.
Union president Joginder Singh Ugrahan pressed for compensation for cotton crop damaged due to pink bollworm attack and action against the Muktsar deputy commissioner for ordering an alleged lathi-charge on farmers at Lambi village in Muktsar.
Addressing the protest, he said farmers had been sitting on dharna seeking compensation for their damaged cotton crop due to pink bollworm. He condemned the administration for registering a case against its leaders and activists for holding hostage 10 revenue officials for nearly nine hours inside the sub-tehsil office in Lambi.
“As no one was listening to our grievances, farmers gheraoed the sub-tehsil office. All employees, except tehsildar, had been asked to leave the office but they didn’t. It was a ploy by the employees to create a scene and we demand strict action against the officials of the civil and police administration,” he added.
Police had on Monday midnight used force to rescue the hostages from the public office. Farmers claimed that police resorted to lathi-charge in which some of them sustained minor injuries but the administration denies the charge.
Punjab Revenue Officers Association had condemned the conduct of the BKU leadership and demanded the arrest of the accused.
