Farmers protest land acquisition for expressway, clash with police

Batala: Amid confusion over compensation for the land acquired for the construction of the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway, the farmers on Tuesday blocked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) team from taking possession of the land, leading to police intervention.
Seven farmers were injured in the incident, as claimed by the farmer leaders. The police, however, denied the claims.
As per reports, the NHAI team attempted to take possession of the land in Nangal Chaur and Bharath villages early Tuesday morning but faced protests from the farmers.
Sarwan Singh Pandher, leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, alleged that the farmers were engaged in a peaceful protest when the NHAI officials, with the assistance of the police, used farm machinery to clear the land, causing significant damage to the farmers.
He also claimed that the police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the farmers who were peacefully protesting the NHAI action.
Pandher said seven farmers sustained injuries and were admitted to Harchowal hospital for treatment. The injured farmers included Parwinder Singh Chemakhudi, Ajaib Singh Chemakhudi, Gurmukh Singh, Harjit Singh Neelkalan, Ajit Singh Bharath, Nishan Singh, and Ajit Singh, he said.
Farmer leaders also alleged that during the police action, turbans of several farmers were knocked off. They accused the Punjab govt of acting in collusion with the central govt to exploit the farmers.
Farmers claim that the central govt is constructing roads under the Bharatmala Pariyojana without consulting or adequately compensating them. In several instances, attempts were made to take possession of the land without providing compensation, they alleged.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Batala, Suhail Qasim Mir rejected the farmers' claims of police violence. He said while the NHAI team was attempting to take possession of the land, the farmers protested, leading to police intervention to maintain peace. Mir denied any serious injuries to the farmers.
‘Pucca morcha'
Pandher, meanwhile, said the farmers would lay a "pucca morcha" outside the office of the Gurdaspur deputy commissioner from March 17 in support of their demands.
Talking to the mediapersons in Amritsar, he said a joint conference would be convened at Kisan Bhawan in Chandigarh by the farmer organisations and prominent intellectuals to clear the confusion regarding the minimum support price (MSP) and other demands on March 17.
He also said on March 23, martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, large gatherings of youth would be held at various inter-state borders. A memorandum in this regard was also submitted to the DIG (Border Range) Satinder Singh.
Under no circumstances will the farmers allow their land to be taken without adequate compensation, Pandher added.
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