TAD NewsDesk, Punjab: The farmers of Punjab has been standing firm in their stand against the three farm laws passed by the centre. Their demonstrations have been central to the resistance movement going on throughout the country but it had caused great loss to the whole farmer community.
There have been 12 casualties till now in these demonstrations:
- Three died in road mishaps
- One slipped on a railway track
- One died of suicide
- Seven succumbed to cardiac arrests and other underlying medical conditions
Punjab government has released Rs 3 lakh as compensation to the families of the deceased. But Bharatiya Kisan Union- Ugrahan, whose four members also lost their lives are demanding a compensation of 10lakh or more along with a waiver of the pending farm debt and a government job to the kin.
Two District administration complex which has offices of top bureaucratic officials in Sangrur and Mansa districts has been shut down. As a mark of protest, the dead bodies of the two farmers have not been cremated and have been kept in mortuaries of the government hospital.
Joginder Ugrahan, president of BKU-Ugrahan said,
“We will not end protests at district complex offices in Mansa and Sangrur districts, and will not cremate bodies of dead farmers till the time the state does not pay their families adequate compensation in all cases. Three lakh rupees cheque paid by the state in many cases is not adequate and not acceptable to us.”
These incidents have not derailed the farmers or made them lose the heart to continue with the fight.
They are blocking the railway tracks and toll plazas. Also, relentless demonstration with no break is continued in front of Corporate houses like Adani and Reliance group.
Jagtar Bawa’s father, Megh Raj Bawa, a farmer of 70 years old lost his life to a cardiac arrest earlier this month and he said,
“There is a fear among farmers that new bills will snatch away their MSP and mandi system. My father joined the protest with this very conviction, but sadly he could not hold up too long due to poor health issues.”
Punjab’s chief minister, Captain Amarinder Singh on the first day of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, held on October 19 to oppose the Central Farm laws went to pay homage to the farmers along with all the members of the house. But what is the point of it asks, Ram Singh, district Mansa president of BKU-Ugrahan, if they cannot provide for the families and compensate them as they deserve.
Moreover, due to this continued protests, Northern railways have declined all forms of plea to resume railway services, nor passenger nor goods train are passing through.
Deepak Kumar, chief public relations officer of Northern Railways said in a press release,
“Some papers have published that train services in Punjab have been resumed. It is clarified once again that this is nothing but false news and trains are not running as of now.”
The railway department is constantly blaming the farmers union and has given that as an excuse not to open the railway lines. But the union has denied all such claims and said all their demonstrations are confined to the big corporate offices and no sitting on the main railway tracks has been done.
There has been a loss of life and property and the centre is still resolute in its decision. The farmers are vehemently protesting and resisting these three farm laws passed by the central government. The whole nation’s farmers are on its foot and in alliance defying and showing a strong form of demonstration.
Source: The Wire
