Farmers burn copies of farm laws in Punjab, Haryana
Chandigarh: Farmers burnt copies of the Centre's three farm laws near residences of BJP leaders and at other places in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday, observing the day of the promulgation of the farm ordinances last year as 'Sampoorna Kranti Diwas'.
Farmers carrying black flags raised slogans against the BJP-led central government for not scrapping the legislation which, they said, will "destroy" the farming community.
Security personnel were deployed and barricades put up near the protest sites to maintain law and order.
The call for observing 'Sampoorna Kranti Diwas' was given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of the protesting farmer unions, spearheading the agitation against the farm laws.
Protests were held at many places including Amritsar, Jalandhar, Mohali, Abohar, Hoshiarpur, Barnala, Nawanshahr, Patiala, Chandigarh, Sirsa, Jind, Karnal, Panipat and Ambala.
In Phagwara, farmers burnt copies of the farm laws near the residence of Union minister Som Parkash at Urban Estate. The protesters assembled near the GT Road and marched towards his residence.
Police put up barricades on the road leading to Parkash's house to prevent protesters from reaching there, officials said. The Union minister was not at home at the time of the protest.
The agitating farmers also held a protest near Parkash's residence in Mohali district. Police were deployed and barricades erected outside the minister's house to prevent any untoward incident.
In Chandigarh, a protest was held against the Centre for not repealing the farm laws, the main demand of the agitating farmers.
In Karnal, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar appealed to farmers not to disturb law and order during their protest. In Ambala, farmers held a demonstration near the residence of Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij.
A group of farmers affiliated to Bharatiya Kisan Union reached the National Highway number -1 near Ambala Cantonment, around 500 yards away from the residence of the home minister.
