On a call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, farmers, labourers, employees held a protest outside the Lahori Gate office of national BJP leader Tarun Chugh in Amritsar on Sunday.
The protesters raised slogans against the proposed India-US trade agreement, and demanded the repealing of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, Seed Act and Labour Codes, besides the restoration of MGNREGA to its original form.
A large number of protesters gathered at the site and staged a dharna, expressing concern over trade agreements being signed by the Centre with the United States and European countries. Addressing the gathering, Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala, Sucha Singh Ajnala, Jatinder Singh Chhina, Dr Parminder Singh Pandori, Ratan Randhawa, Kirsen Singh (TSU), Dhanwant Singh Khataraye Kalan and Lakhbir Singh Nizampura alleged that the Centre was entering tax-free trade agreements under external pressure. Speakers claimed that sectors such as agriculture, dairy farming and fisheries, which were earlier kept out of such agreements, had now been opened up, allegedly giving American farmers access to Indian markets.
They said, while farmers’ income in India had not doubled as promised, such agreements could benefit foreign producers instead. Leaders further alleged that PM Narendra Modi was signing agreements under undisclosed pressure, and that details of these deals were not being transparently shared with the public. They said statements regarding the agreement were emerging from the US side, while the Indian Government had maintained silence. Morcha leaders announced that the agitation would be intensified across the country, adding that a major conference would be organised in Barnala on March 10.
Protesters condemned the recent lathi-charge by the Punjab Police on activists of BKU Ekta Ugrahan