Cops foil farmers’ bid to confront ministers at anti-drug programme
Tension gripped a government event here as scores of farmers tried to march towards the venue to confront Punjab ministers over farm issues, only to be stopped by the police that bundled them in their vehicles and took them to an undisclosed location.
The event aimed at spreading awareness about the government’s campaign against the drug menace was attended by Punjab Cabinet Ministers Laljit Bhullar and Baljit Kaur, along with Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan.
The police intercepted the farmers about 500 m from the venue, thwarting their march to the venue.
This led to a heated exchange of words between the police and the farmers, leading to a scuffle between the two sides.
The police eventually detained the protesting farmers and took them to an undisclosed location.
According to farmer leaders, their protest was peaceful and aimed at seeking answers from the ministers on a number of issues, including heavy losses suffered by farmers due to fire incidents.
They alleged that instead of allowing dialogue, the authorities used force to silence their voices.
“The government claims to be fighting against drugs but narcotics continue to be sold openly in the state,” said a farmer leader.
“Only poor and marginalised individuals are being targeted under the guise of anti-drug operations, while the real culprits — those with political protection —go unpunished,” said another farmer.
Meanwhile, Faridkot SP (Detective) Sandeep Wadera said farmers were detained as a precautionary measure to prevent any potential clash at the venue.
He said the the police exercised maximum restraint and did not use force against the protesters.
“All detained farmers were released later in the evening,” he added.
Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said he had never been opposed to dialogue with farmers.
“However, it appears that some farmer leaders are more focused on disrupting and derailing state government programmes rather than engaging in constructive discussions,” he said.
Punjab