9 Punjab farmer unions to protest PM Narendra Modi's visit

Farmers' Protest: As many as nine farmer unions have announced to protest Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Punjab on January 5. His visit comes ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections 2022. The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) has already announced that it would protest PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab. Now eight more farmers' unions have declared to do the same. These unions are Krantikari Kisan Union, Punjab; Azad Kisan Committee, Doaba; Jai Kisan Andolan; BKU (Sidhupur); Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Kotbudha; Lok Bhalai Welfare Society, BKU (Krantikari); and Dasuya Sugarcane Committee. Also Read | India reports 22,775 new cases in 24 hrs, Omicron infections rise to 1,431 BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) secretary Shingara Singh Mann had said that the farmer unions have announced the protest against PM Modi’s visit as the Centre has failed to meet their pending demands. Also, farmers said that the government had said that it will take back the criminal cases registered against the protesting farmers and compensate the deceased protesters. However, no action has been taken on these issues. Likewise, there has been no mention of the committee working on the MSP. Similarly, no action has been taken on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, they added. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) has already launched indefinite protests against the Punjab government at 15 places in the state. The organisation is demanding a debt waiver and compensation for the cotton crop damaged due to the pink bollworm attack in the state. Punjab Assembly elections are due in early 2022. Also Read | 12 killed, 13 injured in stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine -PTC News