Police used force against us, say farm labourers protesting near Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Sangrur

‘Sanjha Mazdoor Morcha’, a joint front of eight outfits, had gathered in Sangrur to stage a demonstration against the AAP, accusing the government of failing to fulfil their long-pending demands

Punjab Police on Wednesday used force on a group of farm labourers as they marched towards Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Sangrur town. The protesters were demonstrating against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for not paying heed to their long-pending demands.

Scores of farm labourers under the banner of ‘Sanjha Mazdoor Morcha’, a joint front of eight outfits, had gathered in Sangrur to stage a demonstration against the AAP, accusing the government of failing to fulfil their long-pending demands after giving them assurances on multiple occasions. Farm labour leaders claimed that around half-a-dozen protestors sustained injuries after the police used force against them as they marched towards the Chief Minister’s rented residence situated in a private housing colony.

Sangrur is Mr. Mann’s Assembly constituency. The main protesting outfits include the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Sabha, Zameen Prapati Sangharash Committee, Mazdoor Mukti Morcha, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Pendu Mazdoor Union Punjab, Dehati Mazdoor Sabha, and Kul Hind Khet Mazdoor Union.

Lachhman Singh Sewewala, general secretary of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, told The Hindu that farm labourers were protesting peacefully as they marched towards the CM’s residence, and the police used force without any provocation.

“Recently, Bhagwant Mann, in a piece of advice stated that instead of blocking roads, protesters should be holding protests outside residences/offices of public representatives. Now, when we gathered outside his [Mr. Mann’s] house, police resorted to lathi charge against us. Where should we go? The government has promised to fufill our demands during various meetings but nothing is being implemented,” Mr. Singh said.

The protestors’ main demands include an increase of minimum daily wages to ₹700 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), an amendment in law to solve the problem of reserved lands from village common lands; 33% representation for Dalits in village cooperative societies; cancellation of First Information Reports (FIR) registered against Zameen Prapati Sangharash Committee members for holding protests; and implementation of ‘five- marla’ plot schemes for Dalits.

Sangrur Senior Superintendent of Police Surendra Lamba said that the police did not use any force against the protesters. He told reporters that a few protesters were involved in “scuffling” with police personnel, and the police had tackled the situation by trying to stop protesters from reaching near the Chief Minister. A few police personnel also suffered injuries, Mr. Lamba said.