Kisan Morcha march to Chandigarh halted, Punjab Police ensures tight security

Ropar (Punjab) [India], March 5 (ANI): As the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's (SKM) march proceeded towards Chandigarh on Wednesday, Punjab Police tightened security to prevent protestors from reaching the city, said DIG Ropar Range Harcharan Singh Bhullar.
"Punjab is totally peaceful. Wherever the farmers have come, police in that area have stopped them there. They are sitting there at the side peacefully. Traffic is normal across Punjab... They will not be allowed to reach Chandigarh at any cost. We have tight security... A few people have been rounded up... There is good coordination between Punjab and Chandigarh Police," he said.
Earlier today, Farmers in Punjab gathered at the Golden Gate in Amritsar to protest against the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government.
DSP Maninder Singh Pal confirmed that all necessary arrangements had been made for the protest. "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, speaking to ANI, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that they would burn effigies of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in different districts of the state to mark their protest. Pandher also demanded the release of farmers who were allegedly arrested by the Punjab Police.
"We will have programmes in around 18 districts. At 21 locations in Amritsar alone, we will burn effigies of the Bhagwant Mann government. Today's program 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 told ANI.
On Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) in Punjab's march towards Chandigarh today, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Gurbachan Singh Chhaba said, "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 Polic Stations and got them arrested...Bhagwant Mann Government is playing into the hands of Centre to violate the human rights of farmers. People will never accept this. 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 govt. Our protest is always peaceful...Bhagwant Mann is instigating people...This is bad." (ANI)