Farmers continue tailing Sukhbir yatra, protest in Malout

Nimal Singh Jasseana, general secretary of BKU(Sidhpur), Muktsar district, said, “Police told us that they will arrange our meeting with SAD president but instead, Sukhbir finished his programme in a hurried manner and went to another event which was in a marriage palace on main road. There we engaged SAD president in a question answer session in which he could not reply satisfactorily.”

Chaudhary Pal Singh Bhularia, from BKU (Rajewal), said, “We asked him that why he, his MP wife and former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal continued praising these farm ordinances till mid September and later took a U-turn under immense public pressure? He continued telling us that he is with farmers and took a stand for farmers, but we are not convinced of his sharp U-turn.”

D P Singh, from BKU (Dakaunda), added, “Sukhbir Badal claims of making roads but almost all the roads made during his tenure were toll roads, hence, how can he take any credit. When he imposed heavy taxes on the masses in the name of making roads, how can he indulge in self-praise. Why should we continue paying taxes for years together? This is the reason that farmers have blocked toll plazas for months together.”

On Tuesday, Sukhbir Badal will be in Gidderbaha and farmers stated that they will be following him yet again.

“We told him to stop doing these programmes until elections are not announced, but he said that he will continue doing so. However, we also said that we will also follow him everywhere and will ask him tough questions. Gone are the voters who used to listen to the speeches, clap and come back home,” added Nirmal Singh. Interestingly, most of the protesting farmers were the ones who were booked in attacking Abohar MLA Arun Narang.

Nirmal Singh said,”30 of us were booked, out of which 3 were released without bail and the rest 27 of us were bailed out.”

In Malout town area, an elderly woman met Sukhbir Badal where she complained of injustice meted out to her family during SAD-BJP rule.

She said that her daughter’s 30 acres land was allegedly grabbed by Akali Sarpanch and 8 FIRs were slapped against their family during SAD-BJP rule. Sukhbir asked the woman to visit his Badal residence and explain the problem in detail and he will help.

Monday’s programmer also witnessed youth road shows before the public rallies. Road shows along with Akali flags were seen all across the constituency. Hundreds of youths in motorcycles joined the cavalcade of the SAD president from Danewala chowk to Dana Mandi chowk before the farmers arrived at the event.

Later, the cavalcade went towards the Park City resort. The cavalcade took more than one hour to cover the five kilometre distance, said SAD supporters.

SAD chief stated that youth approached him to state that they had suffered the most during the Congress regime with the government failing to give them any employment.

He said that youngsters said that nothing had been done for youth during the last four and a half years be it providing jobs or giving Rs 2,500 per month unemployment allowance.