Kirti Kisan Union holds protest against police raid
Jalandhar, March 21
The Kirti Kisan Union held a protest against a raid by the Jalandhar police at the union’s state office.
The union members alleged today that the raid on March 11 at their state office was carried out on instructions of the Punjab government, wherein their office was searched during the raid, the office staff was misbehaved with and detained and the office was locked up. The union members today demanded strict action against the police officials responsible.
Under the leadership of the union members, farmers gathered in the courtyard of the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall in Jalandhar today and held a rally. They also marched to the office of the Deputy Commissioner after the rally and handed over a demand letter addressed to the Chief Minister of Punjab.
Addressing the gathering, state president of Kirti Kisan Union Nirbhai Singh Dhudike and general secretary Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala asked the Punjab government whether the Kirti Kisan Union was a banned organisation. He said that locking the union office and entering and searching inside was a provocative move by the Jalandhar police. The union members said such bold actions are being taken against the union to silence it as it raises pertinent issues for the farmers — including the demand to open India-Pakistan trade through Punjab’s road corridors and the protection of Punjab’s waters.
The union members also reminded the Punjab government that the history of Kirti Kisan Union is over half a century old and is replete with struggles and sacrifices.
Addressing the gathering, state vice-president Jatinder Singh Chhina and state leader Satbir Singh Sultani said the organisation’s office was targeted at a time when every member of the union was busy preparing for the Mahapanchayat being held in Delhi by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. They alleged that the police searched every floor of the office. The police officials misbehaved with the office staff and detained them. He said the union had expressed its protest against this action of the police to the senior officials at the time, but it went unheard.
Union state press secretary Raminder Singh Patiala and Finance Secretary Jaswinder Singh Jhabelwali objected to the RSS calling the farmers’ struggle a struggle of separatists, terrorists and anarchists. They demanded that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat apologise to the farmers for this resolution.
State press secretary of Rural Labor Union Punjab Kashmir Singh Ghugshore, district president of Indian Farmers Union Kadian Amrik Singh were among others who addressed the gathering.
