Thethree-day long protest of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ugrahan in the hometown ofPunjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, ended today. The protest wasagainst the Punjab government’s failure to effectively tackle the Covidpandemic.
Addressingthe gathering, BKU Leader, Balbir Singh Rajewal appealed to the farmers to jointhe Delhi Dharna in maximum numbers. He said that it was the result of thefarmers' anger that the BJP had lost the assembly elections in West Bengal.
Hesaid that even in the panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh, the defeat of BJPwas due to the farmers. He said that if the Union government did not repeal thethree agriculture laws and did not enact laws for procurement of crops on MSP,he would campaign against the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
Rajewalfurther said that the Punjab government would also have to change its way ofworking, otherwise the protesting farmers will start campaign against theCaptain-led-Congress government in Punjab.
Hesaid that both the Central and State Governments have failed to manage the Covid-19crisis and are equally responsible for farmers’ miseries.
Itis pertinent to mention here that the farmers installed tents and held athree-day long protest in Patiala (days and nights). The union leaders saidthat during the protest all Covid-related norms were followed like socialdistancing was maintained, face masks were used and the area was sanitizedtime-to-time.
Besides,only a few people stayed at the venue of protest at night and others wererequested to stay back home.
“Therewere more than 1,500 people; they all maintained the social distancing, werecarrying masks, sanitizers and water bottles”, the farm leaders said.
BKUEkta Ugrahan general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikaln said, “We are conductingthis protest in Chief Minister’s city by following all the COVID protocols. TheCentral Government is blaming the farmers for the COVID spread, but in reality,it has done nothing to control the pandemic. In fact, Punjab Government too hasdone negligible work.”
Headded, “Despite WHO warning regarding the peak in August last year, nothing wasdone while people were left to die… they just talk about what they will do butdid nothing.”
Hefurther said, “The people are bearing the brunt because of the Government’sfailure on various fronts. Doctors are not available in several villages.Government hospitals have ventilators, but lack technical staff to run them. Privatehospitals are fleecing the patients.”