Chandigarh: Leaders will decide on the next step of the movement today
Chandigarh: Will the protesting farmers continue their dharna at Sector 34 or not? A decision on this is likely to be taken on September 5, as top farmer leaders from Punjab will meet at the protest site at 11 am. As part of the five-day dharna, farmer unions reached Chandigarh on the evening of September 1 and staged a massive show of strength the next day. Farmer union members also marched on foot to Matka Chowk and handed over a letter of their demands to Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian. After this, the farmers started a dharna at the Sector 34 ground under tight security of Punjab Police, Chandigarh Police and reserve forces.
The dharna was earlier expected to end on September 5, but the farmer unions have decided to call a meeting to announce the future strategy. Sources claimed that the protesting unions may continue their dharna till the Haryana assembly elections are over. However, the leaders are tight-lipped about future plans. He said, ‘The dharna is likely to continue. However, no final decision has been taken yet. The farmers sitting at the protest site will be talked to tomorrow. They are already prepared to stay for a longer period if needed,” said a leader from Punjab who kept a close watch on the protest site.
“Union representatives will arrive here on September 5 and a final decision will be taken after that. We are ready to agree with whatever decision the leaders take. We have no objection to continuing our protest in the coming months,” said a protesting farmer. Meanwhile, the fourth day of the protest remained peaceful but commuters faced problems. A portion of the road leading to the protest site was closed for traffic, even as traffic remained disrupted throughout the day as parking lots of nearby offices also witnessed a rush of protestors’ vehicles. After rains lashed the city, the protesting farmers took shelter in their tractors and trailers. At 10.55 am, an ambulance was called after a protesting farmer fainted. He was rushed to a nearby hospital.
