In response to the nationwide call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, farmers owing allegiance to various organisations in Punjab on Friday staged protests against the Union Government’s Agnipath recruitment scheme for the armed forces.
Claiming that the new recruitment policy was against national security interests, the protesters burnt effigies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. However, no untoward incident was reported.
In Bathinda, Ekta Ugrahan and Sidhupur factions of the Bhartiya Kisan Union held separate dharnas outside the district administrative complex (DAC). The entrance to the secretariat was sealed by the police. The Ugrahan faction blocked the road at Hanuman Chowk to protest against the Bathinda district administration’s decision to send a tehsildar to receive their memorandum addressed to the President of India.
Vehicular traffic was severely hit as Hanuman Chowk is the busiest intersection that connects the city with highways to Mansa, Chandigarh, Ferozepur and Amritsar. The blockade was lifted after additional deputy commissioner (general) Rahul arrived at the dharna site to receive the memorandum.
Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, general secretary of Ugrahan faction, said: “The union activists have held dharnas across 19 districts of Punjab, in which a number of women, farm labourers and unemployed youths participated.”
{{/usCountry}}Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, general secretary of Ugrahan faction, said: “The union activists have held dharnas across 19 districts of Punjab, in which a number of women, farm labourers and unemployed youths participated.”
{{/usCountry}}In Amritsar, members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) gathered at the Golden Gate, main entrance to the holy city, carrying placards, banners and flags to demonstrate against the scheme. Led by general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher, they burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking revocation of the scheme.
Pandher said, “The effigies were burnt at 18 places in Amritsar district . The new recruitment scheme will leave 75% youths jobless after working in the army for four years. This scheme is against the promise made by the government to give jobs to youths.”