Farmers in Punjab staged protests at the Golden Gate in Amritsar on Wednesday, expressing their discontent with the Bhagwant Mann-led state government.
The demonstration, organised by various farmer unions, saw effigies of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann being burned at multiple locations across the state.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Maninder Singh Pal stated that adequate security arrangements had been put in place.
"All arrangements are in place. Force has been deployed. We are alert. Farmers are here. Protest will be done here (at Golden Gate)," Pal said.
Meanwhile, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the protests were being conducted in response to the alleged arrests of several farmers by the Punjab Police.
He added that effigies of CM Mann would be burned in various districts to mark their dissent.
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"We will have programmes in around 18 districts. At 21 locations in Amritsar alone, we will burn effigies of Bhagwant Mann government. Today's programme will be done at hundreds of locations across Punjab. SKM's Punjab Union's leader was detained along with the leadership of Kisan Majdoor Morcha. So, today's programme is against the human rights violations of farmers. It will be done peacefully. We demand that all arrested farmers should be released," Pandher maintained.
Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Gurbachan Singh Chhaba strongly criticised the Chief Minister, accusing him of instigating people and suppressing farmers' rights. He also condemned Mann for walking out of a meeting with farmer representatives.
"Bhagwant Mann Government in Punjab left the meeting with farmers. We have seen such a CM for the first time, someone who leaves a meeting with farmers midway. Someone who gets the houses of farmer leaders raided, detained them at their houses and detained some others at police stations and got them arrested. Bhagwant Mann Government is playing into the hands of the Centre to violate the human rights of farmers. People will never accept this," Chhaba said.
He added, "We will burn the effigy of Bhagwant Mann. We will demand that farmers be allowed to protest and their demand be met. Our demands are not unlawful. We condemn this government. Our protest is always peaceful. Bhagwant Mann is instigating people. This is bad."
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