Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi announced the construction of a sports stadium at Haripur village in “memory of farmers who sacrificed their lives during the agitation against farm laws”. Channi has approved a grant of ₹1 crore for this purpose, his office said on Saturday.
Channi’s announcement comes weeks after Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish allegedly ran over protesting farmers in Tinkonia village in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3, killing eight. The farmers who were protesting the three farm laws had gathered in Lakhimpur that day to oppose Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit.
More farmers have perished due to suicide, road accidents, and other causes while protesting the Centre’s three “black laws” for close to a year now. The Punjab state government had verified and reported deaths of 220 farmers and farm labourers till July 20 and provided ₹10.86 crore as compensation to their families. Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions, has claimed that 400 farmers have died while protesting these laws.
The Centre, however, said in Parliament in late July that it has no record of farmers dying during protests. In response to the Member of Parliaments asking for details on farmer deaths, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said that the government of India has "no such record".
{{/usCountry}}The Centre, however, said in Parliament in late July that it has no record of farmers dying during protests. In response to the Member of Parliaments asking for details on farmer deaths, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said that the government of India has "no such record".
{{/usCountry}}Channi has also announced the construction of a stadium and a memorial gate in honour of slain Naik Mandeep Singh who died in the line of duty during an anti-insurgency operation in Jammu and Kashmir.