"We request government to stop all this": Farmer leader Pandher

AMBALA: Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher on Wednesday requested the government to stop using tear gas and other forces against the protesting farmers and create a cordial atmosphere. He alleged that the police used self-loading rifle (SLR) with plastic and rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the farmers who were marching to the national capital on Tuesday.

"Police used SLR bullets, tear gas, plastic and rubber bullets to disperse our farmers. These kinds of actions are not acceptable. The way they are making our perception in the media is not right. They are putting the tag of Khalistani, calling us the supporter of Congress and Punjab government, which is not correct," Pandher said while addressing the media.

"We have not said that we will not hold talks but we request the Government to stop all this first, and create a normal atmosphere. We were ready for talks yesterday also, and are ready today also," he added. The farmer leader reiterated and dismissed the claims of the Congress Party's and Aam Aadmi Party's support to the farmers and labourers. "As I said earlier, no Congress or AAP supports us. We consider them as guilty as the BJP is guilty. These policies have been brought by Congress, we are not left, CPI, and CPM who ruled Bengal, made 20 mistakes, what kind of revolution came from there in West Bengal, we are not on anyone's side, we are farmers and labourers," Pandher added.

Meanwhile, long traffic jams were seen on Wednesday at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border due to the farmers' protest and security checks put in place by the authorities.

Rapid Action Force personnel, Police personnel and Riot Control Vehicles are deployed at the Singhu Border in Delhi in view of the farmers' protest. The farmers have put forth 12 demands before the central government for which they're marching to Delhi. The protest this time has been called by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee led by farmer union leaders Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher.

According to the protesting farmers, the centre promised them better crop prices, after which they ended the 2021 protest. They are demanding to enact a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission report. They are also demanding a complete debt waiver and a scheme to provide pensions to farmers and farm labourers.

The farmers have also urged to scrap the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 and are demanding to reintroduce the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, ensuring consent from farmers and compensation at 4 times the collector rate.

Further, they are demanding to punish those involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri killings. An appeal to provide 200 days of employment per year and a daily wage of Rs 700 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA), linking it with farming, has also been made by the farmers.

Also, they have demanded compensation to the families of farmers who died during the protests in 2021 and a job for any family member has been put in place.