Ahead of its call for Chandigarh protest, SKM leaders say Punjab police 'raided' farmer leaders

Chandigarh: Samyukta Kisan Morcha leaders claimed that police conducted "raids" at the residences of many farmer leaders early Tuesday in Punjab and also "detained" them ahead of their call for a protest in Chandigarh on March 5.

There was no immediate reaction from the police to the claims.

Farmer leaders said the police action came a day after a meeting between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and SKM leaders broke down.

Apprehending police action, several farmer leaders have also gone underground.

The SKM has called for a week-long sit-in in Chandigarh starting March 5 in support of their various demands.

Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal claimed that the Punjab police conducted "raids" at the residences of SKM leaders early morning "With such actions, the government cannot stifle the voice of farmers," Lakhowal said, adding, "We are fighting in support of various farmers' demands."

He said police personnel are also deployed at his residence.

"It is our right to hold protests. We warn the state government not to indulge in such police actions," Lakhowal said as he called upon farmers to reach Chandigarh in large numbers.

BKU (Rajewal) vice president Mukesh Chander Sharma too claimed that police raided the residences of farmer leaders in the state.

"Police raided my residence at 4 am," Sharma claimed, adding that he condemned the police action.

Talks between the Punjab government and SKM leaders to discuss farmers' demands broke down midway on Monday, with farmer leaders claiming a "livid" Mann "walked out of the meeting in a huff without any provocation".

However, Mann had said his doors are always open for talks with the farmers but inconvenience and harassment of the public in the name of agitation should be avoided.

The SKM, which had led the 2020 agitation against the now-repealed three farm laws, is demanding the withdrawal of the Centre's draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, a legal guarantee to minimum support price as per the Swaminathan Commission report, implementing the state's agricultural policy and purchase of six crops at MSP by the state government.

They are also demanding a law for debt settlement, ensuring canal water to every field, payment of sugarcane arrears and stopping "forcible" acquisition of land for the Bharatmala projects.