As Punjab struggles to place a lid on the second wave of the pandemic, farmers unions have held two huge rallies in Amritsar in two days. After Sunday’s rally at Amritsar’s Bhaghtan Wala, second rally was held on Monday in district’s Kukranwala village.
The Bhaghtan Wala rally was held by Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committe, whereas Monday’s occasion was organised by Sonia Mann to mark the loss of life anniversary of her father and Left-wing activist Baldev Mann.
Apart from farmer chief Rakesh Tikait’s son Gaurav Tikait, BKU (Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Ruldu Singh Mansa, Kirti Kisan Union chief Rajinder Singh and Jamhuri Kisan Sabha chief Kulwant Singh Sandhu additionally attended the rally.
Baldev Mann was killed by Sikh militants in 1990. He was related to CPI (Marxist-Leninist) and Kirti Kisan Union. He was editor of a ulta-Left journal.
Speaking on the event, Gaurav stated, “We will not forget the conspiracies of this government to hurt the farmer movement by labelling farmers as ‘Khalistanis’ and ‘terrorists’. But such attempts didn’t work.”
Sonia Mann stated, “I observe death anniversary of my father every year. However, this year I decided to hold a farmers’ rally in support of farmers protesting against the three new bills.”
Amritsar is likely one of the worst affected districts of Punjab and big gatherings in two consecutive days have anxious the well being officers. However, it was an exception to see individuals carrying masks within the rallies held on Sunday and Monday.
“Government has now come up with new excuse of Covid-19. First Prime Minister should stop his rallies,” stated Gaurav Tikait.
Meanwhile, the rally on the loss of life anniversary of Baldev Singh Mann was opposed on twitter by a bit of farmer activists. Some farmer activists argued that rally on the loss of life anniversary of somebody with ultra-Left background might deviate the main focus of the motion towards farm legal guidelines.
