Farmers demand implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations

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Farmers also press for  loan waiver, river-water rights and release of Bandi Singhs; commuters face traffic disruptions

Jagatpura (Mohali), September 1

Farmers continued their protest on Tuesday at the Chandigarh-Mohali border near Jagatpura, pressing the government to address their long-pending demands, including implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, loan waiver, protection of Punjab’s river-water rights and release of Bandi Singh who have completed their sentences.

Darshan Singh of the Kisan Union Kadian said farmers were protesting over four to five major demands. He said they wanted the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission to be implemented, a loan waiver to be announced and Punjab’s rights over its river waters to be protected.

Singh said some of the demands concerned the Punjab government, while others fell under the Centre’s jurisdiction. He said farmers would continue the protest for as long as their leaders directed them to and were prepared to remain at the protest site for weeks or even months if their demands remained unaddressed.

“We have come fully prepared and have brought our own arrangements for cooking and staying here,” he said, adding that the farmers would continue their struggle despite the heat.

Singh also raised the issue of Bandi Singhs, saying those who had completed their sentences should be released. He alleged that political considerations were preventing their release and said farmers would continue to raise the demand.

Pritam Singh, Senior Vice-President of the Kisan Union Kadian from Firozpur district, said farmers had gathered at the protest site to press for their demands and were prepared to stay there, sleep at the site and continue their agitation with basic food arrangements if required. He said some of the farmers’ demands were also related to religious issues.

Referring to the Panjab University elections, Singh criticised the victory of the ABVP-SOI alliance. He said farmers strongly condemned the development and warned against attempts to use the university election result as a means of gaining political influence over Punjab.

Singh said those who believed that a victory at Panjab University would enable them to “win Punjab” were mistaken. He said farmers would not allow Punjab to come under their control and claimed that the people of Punjab were also not accepting such developments.

Farmers’ protest disrupts traffic, causes inconvenience to commuters

The protest site is located around the Sector 47/48 Light Point and the Sector 48-49 stretch near Airport Road. The agitation disrupted traffic movement between Chandigarh, Mohali, Kharar, Zirakpur and adjoining areas, with commuters reporting diversions, congestion and significant delays.

Police personnel were deployed around the protest site to manage traffic and maintain law and order. Barricading and diversions were put in place on several connecting routes, adding to difficulties for people travelling regularly between the three areas.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, an auto-rickshaw driver, speaking to The North News, said commuters were facing difficulties because of the traffic restrictions and diversions.

Siya Paswan, a domestic worker who lives in Zirakpur and travels to Chandigarh for work, said she had to wait for a long time after leaving home as she expected the route to reopen. However, heavy crowds near the protest site prevented her from moving ahead.

She said she also attempted to use alternative routes, but those roads were congested as well. Eventually, she had to return home without reaching Chandigarh for work.

Ravish, who was travelling to his office in Chandigarh, said he had to change his usual route because of the restrictions. He said he normally reaches his workplace within a short time, but the diversions and congestion caused a considerable delay.

Faizan Khan, an auto-rickshaw driver, said that if Amritpal Singh’s sentence has been completed, he should be released. At the same time, he acknowledged that the government and police were also carrying out their duties.

The farmers said they would continue their agitation until their leadership decided on the next course of action and urged both the Punjab government and the Centre to address their demands.

With the protest continuing, commuters travelling between Chandigarh, Mohali, Kharar, Zirakpur and adjoining areas may continue to face difficulties on the affected routes. Police have advised commuters to use alternative routes and avoid the affected stretches where possible.