Our Corresponden

Ludhiana, February 23

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) today served an ultimatum to the Central Government to desist from allegedly intimidating the leaders of farmers’ organisations through its ‘caged parrots’ (the Income Tax Department and other Central agencies). The farmer body also threatened the government to be prepared for serious consequences for its nefarious attempts to allegedly crush the farmers’ movement continued.

SKM functionaries which met here under the presidium of Ruldu Singh Mansa, Raminder Singh Patiala and Buta Singh Shadipur to discuss I-T raids on BKU-Lakhowal general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal and Satwinder Singh Behru, strongly condemned the politically motivated action of the Centre. The move was aimed at scaring the SKM leaders before a farmers’ morcha, scheduled to be staged in Delhi on March 20, the leaders said.

Lakhowal and Behru, who were among the first targets of Income Tax officials said they were treated like criminals and had to face ignominy at the hands of I-T sleuths, who allegedly asked irrelevant questions about routine financial transactions.

“I-T officials were acting on a hunch to create panic among the ranks of farmers and to discourage them from reaching the national capital for the morcha,” they added.

The SKM resolved to submit a memorandum to the Governor on February 28 against the alleged high-handedness of the Modi government.