Punjab: Farmers gather at Golden Gate in Amritsar to protest against state govt

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], March 5 (ANI): Thousands of farmers gathered at the Golden Gate in Amritsar on Wednesday to protest against the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab.
Speaking to ANI, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that they will burn effigies of the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government 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 programs in around 18 districts. At 21 locations in Amritsar alone, we will burn effigies of 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 program 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.
Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Gurbachan Singh Chhaba strongly condemned Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and accused him of instigating people. Chhaba also condemned CM Mann for leaving the meeting with the farmers midway, stating that they have seen such a Chief Minister for the first time who leaves the meeting.
Speaking to ANI, 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 police stations and got them arrested...Bhagwant Mann Government is playing into the hands of the 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."
Meanwhile, Chandigarh Police on Wednesday implemented traffic diversions for vehicles entering the city, causing slow traffic movement in the border areas.
Visuals that emerged from the Mohali-Chandigarh border and Zirakpur-Chandigarh border showed heavy traffic in the area. Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called for 'Pakka Morcha' in Chandigarh on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) had accused the Bhagwant Singh Mann government in Punjab of "suppressing the democratic rights of farmers for peaceful protest" and appealed to the Punjab farmers to join the 'Pakka Morcha' at Chandigarh on March 5.
Protesting farmers had claimed that CM Bhagwant Mann had got "angry" and "provoked" them during a meeting with him in Chandigarh. (ANI)