*Several leaders detained
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 17: A massive farmers’ protest was held today at Satwari Chowk against new farm laws of the Central Government.
Hundreds of farmers and their representatives including Sarpanchs and Panchs of various villages of Jammu participated in the protest. Driving tractors and cars and riding on motorcycles, the farmers in the form of small groups left for the office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu from various parts of Jammu.
The main and biggest group of farmers led by DDC Jammu member Taranjit Singh Tony and several Sarpanchs and Panchs from RS Pura and Arnia villages also left for Divisional Commissioner’s office to submit a memorandum of demands but all the main leaders including Taranjit Singh Tony and other Sarpanchs and Panchs were detained midway by the police.
However, the protesting farmers spread and in small groups managed to reach upto Satwari Chowk, where a large contingent of police blocked their way. At Satwari Chowk, the farmers staged a peaceful protest for about 2-3 hours, leading to disruption of vehicular traffic at the busy chowk although the traffic police had diverted the traffic towards other roads.
Addressing the protest, farmers’ leaders said that they wanted to conduct a peacefully rally to the Divisional Commissioner’s office to submit a memorandum in support of the farmers while protesting against the Government’s new farm laws but the police tried to silence their voice by misusing its power.
The protesting farmers said that 11 of their leaders including Sarpanchs and Panchs were illegally detained and arrested by the police to foil the protest rally but farmers of this region will not relent and keep on protesting against the new farm laws to support their counterparts in Punjab who have been protesting on Delhi borders in braving chilling cold and Corona pandemic.
The speakers also condemned the strident campaign by a section of media and politicians to discredit and label the peaceful farmers as anti-nationals and said that by doing this they are trivializing the peaceful disciplined struggle of farmers. The protesting farmers and their leaders demanded the Government to scrap and repeal the new farm laws, withdraw cases filed against the farmers and provide adequate compensation to those killed during this agitation.
They said that Government of India should respect the principles of Federalism as stated in the Indian Constitution and engage with State Governments as equal partners to strengthen every aspect of farming and Indian Agriculture so that it remains self reliant, independent and sustainable.
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