The Punjab government on Saturday said that it has decided to give Rs 2 lakh in compensation to all 83 people who were arrested by the Delhi Police following a tractor march against the Union government's 'three farm laws' on this year's January 26 (Republic Day) that turned violent leading to clashes between the police and farmers in the capital city in which dozens were injured. The police resorted to lathi-charge and fired teargas shells to disperse the protestors.
The farmers had taken out a tractor march on January 26 in the national capital to highlight their two principal demands of a repeal of three new Agri laws and a legal guarantee of minimum support prices.
Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi tweeted, "Reiterating My Govt’s stand to support the ongoing farmers' protest against three black farm laws, We have decided to give Rs 2 lakh compensation to 83 people arrested by Delhi Police for carrying out a tractor rally in the national capital on 26th January 2021."
While reacting to CM Channi's announcement, opposition parties Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party have termed it a 'method of appeasement' for the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab.
Hundreds of farmers have been camping at the three Delhi borders since November 2020 with the demand that the government repeal the three Agri laws-- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Reportedly, the farmer unions have decided to take out peaceful tractor marches to Parliament, every day during the Winter Session from November 29. The decision was taken today by the nine-member committee of the United Kisan Morcha.
(with inputs from sources)
