Motorcyclists hold protest march in Amritsar over agri laws

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 6

‘Amritsar Riders’, a group of motorcyclists, conducted ‘rosh’ march (protest) against the Centre for their failure to revoke the three agri laws on Sunday. Members of the group kicked off their protest from the residence of BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik.

Parminder Singh Walia of Amritsar Riders said the objective of the rosh march was to extend support to protesting farmers. He said a group of farmers had been protesting outside the residence of Malik for the last couple of months, despite a dip in temperature.

The riders passed through various areas of the city, including, Court road, Cooper road, Bhandari railway overbridge, Elevated road, Tara Wala Pul, Golden Gate and concluded at Jandiala toll plaza.

Another member of the group, Ajay Chauhan, said the bike rally was just a precursor for extending support to farmers. He said riders from the entire state would head to Delhi and take part in the agitation next week.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stated that the state unit of the BJP should back farmers. AAP leader Parwinder Sethi said: “The entire nation is supporting farmers against the draconian agriculture laws passed in an undemocratic manner by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government.”

Another AAP leader, Naresh Pathak, said, “The BJP’s Punjab unit is still supporting anti-farmer laws, which will not be tolerated. Instead of blindly following directions of their party high command, workers and leaders of the BJP’s Punjab unit must support their farming brethren who have been peacefully protesting in biting cold against the anti-farm laws.”

Seema Sodhi of the AAP said, “It was blatant attempt by the government to enact laws to favour corporate houses. The Badals, who advocated the Bills in Parliament and praised them in media a few months ago, have suddenly started condemning the agri laws. The decision to end an alliance with the BJP is not due to their sympathy towards the farming community, but fear of facing wrath of the farmers.”

The AAP leaders said Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh was hand-in-glove with the Centre and was trying to befool people by issuing vague statements.

Anti-farmer face of Capt Amarinder stands exposed as he did not utter a word against these ordinances during the meetings called by PM Narendra Modi before introducing them in Parliament, said Sodhi.