7 April
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
In a startling turn of events, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher and several of his associates were apprehended today by the Coimbatore police in Tamil Nadu. Pandher, along with Manjit Singh Rai and other leaders, had journeyed from the Shambhu border to participate in a planned protest.
The protest, organized in dedication to the late farmer Shubhkaran Singh, had been underway peacefully for four days with the Kalash Yatra. However, tensions escalated when authorities intervened as the group prepared to blow up an effigy symbolizing their grievances against the central government.
Manjit Singh Ghumana, the National President of the Indian Farmers and Labor Union, confirmed the arrests, expressing dismay at the sudden crackdown. The incident underscores the ongoing tensions between farmers and the government, highlighting the challenges faced by those advocating for agricultural reforms.
As the situation unfolds, concerns mount over the treatment of dissenting voices and the right to peaceful protest in the country. The arrest of prominent leaders in a far-flung location like Coimbatore underscores the widespread reach and solidarity of the farmers’ movement across India.