BKU (Ekta Ugraha) frees toll plazas for two days

Manmeet Singh Gill

Amritsar, February 17

The farmers under the banner of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugraha) have made the three toll plazas in the district free for commuters in protest against the government for using force on the farmers going to Delhi. The union leaders stated that the union had decided to make the toll plazas free for the commuters for two days beginning today.

Kashmir Singh Dhangai, district president of BKU (Ekta Ugraha), said the toll plazas would remain free for the commuters till Sunday evening. He said the protest plan can be changed as a meeting of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha I is scheduled to be held on Saturday night.

“We criticize the Central Government and the Haryana Government for using heavy force on unarmed farmers,” said Kashmir Singh. The union has also staged a sit-in at the Kathunagal toll plaza on the Amritsar-Pathankot highway, the Mannawala toll plaza on the Amritsar-Jalandhar highway and the Chiddan toll plaza on the Amritsar-Attari highway to ensure that commuters are not charged toll fee.

Kashmir Singh said, “The government is pro corporate in all its policies. When corporate houses are hurt, it actually hurts the government. So we have decided to free the toll plazas as these are owned by big companies.” He said the protest against the government would be further intensified if it did not allow the farmers to go to Delhi.

Another farmer leader Palwinder Singh said, “It is unethical for the government to run from its promises. The words of senior government functionaries such as the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers are taken as complete truth. Now with the government failing to keep its words, it has lost credibility.”

The farmer leaders stated that the SKM had ended the protest at Delhi borders after the government had assured them of accepting their demands. They stated that they feel cheated as they have to again leave their homes and families to join the protest.

Farmer leaders stated that the government is suppressing the right to protest of the residents by constructing barricades and throwing teargas shells on the farmers. The farmers stated that the use of force on the protesting farmers would force all the unions to come on a joint platform and agitate against the Central Government.