BJP candidates feel the heat as farmers’ groups escalate protests

The Amritsar rural police have registered an FIR against two individuals, Jagbir Singh and Kewal Singh from Bhittowind village, for allegedly throwing stones at a group of farmers opposing the visit of BJP candidate Taranjeet Singh Sandhu to the village. The incident took place on April 17, while the FIR was lodged on April 18.

On the day of Sandhu’s visit, a group of 20-30 farmers, under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), gathered near the venue to protest and demand justice for Shubhkaran Singh, who was killed in firing by Haryana security forces at the Shambhu border on February 21.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate Parampal Kaur Sidhu, daughter-in-law of senior Akali leader Sikander Singh Maluka, also faced protests in Bathinda urban on Friday. Sidhu had to traverse narrow lanes on foot after leaving her vehicle behind. She waited at the house of an Akali leader for her vehicle to arrive.

Tensions escalated when the group of farmers engaged in a verbal altercation with Sandhu’s supporters. Two supporters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting to disperse the protesters. A video capturing the incident went viral, prompting Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of KMM, to demand action against the stone-pelters.

Pandher stated, “The farmers were protesting peacefully when they were attacked.

Some sustained injuries. Our protests against the BJP candidates will persist, and we will continue to question them about the restrictions preventing us from marching towards Delhi and demand justice for Shubhkaran.”

The two BJP supporters have been booked under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 224 (illegal obstruction), and 34 (criminal act done by several persons) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Across various constituencies, farmer unions have been actively protesting against BJP candidates. On Friday, BJP candidate Hans Raj Hans faced questioning by members of BKU Ugrahan at Faridkot. Hans, addressing the gathering, claimed that ministers and individuals from Punjab had provided Prime Minister Narendra Modi with misleading feedback about the farm laws, leading to him being portrayed as a villain. Hans emphasized that he had never spoken against the farmers and would continue to empathize with their plight. To defuse the situation, Hans began singing and, when questioned about the Shambhu border protesters’ march restrictions, he responded by reciting a shabad (sacred song) and bid farewell with the words “Jo Bole So Nihaal, Sat Shri Akaal”.