Punjab Government gives security cover to leaders facing farmers’ wrath

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 26

Sensing trouble for BJP leaders in Punjab, the state government has beefed up their personal security.

Farmers have been continuously protesting outside the houses of some BJP leaders for the past three months. On Friday, when the state unit of the BJP tried to celebrate

the birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the farmer unions across the state sabotaged the functions.

Looking at gravity of the situation, the state police have deployed security personnel for even small-time leaders. A district president of the party, who wished not to be identified, said the protest had been continuously going on outside his house for the past three months. “But I was surprised to see that two policemen came to my house yesterday and said they were for my protection. I did not ask for any security,” he said.

Sources said the security was mainly being provided to those leaders whose houses have been gheraoed by the farmer unions.

The BJP was expecting that the number of protesters would reduce once the farmers went to Delhi for the protest. But the number of protesters has swelled up at 84 places, including toll plazas, malls, thermals and houses of BJP leaders.

The farmer unions are demanding the repeal of the new farm acts. They are mounting pressure on local BJP leaders to convince their central leadership to farmers’ demands.

Sit-in at Patiala BJP chief house continues

Patiala farmers on Saturday continued their indefinite protest outside the residence of BJP district president Harinder Kohli, demanding his resignation over the farm laws. As Kohli’s son was unwell, farmers allowed him to visit a doctor with a warning that they wouldn’t let him move out further until their demands were accepted.