Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal headed the black Friday protest march along with former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and others to mark the first<\/p>\n
anniversary of the three contentious farm laws in New Delhi on Friday, September 17th, and the protestors were detained for violating COVID-19 guidelines but were eventually released.<\/p>\n
The protest march was taken out from Gurudwara Rakab Ganj to the Parliament House and the SAD president tweeted, “The protest march today not only symbolises the farmers’ dissent but will also be remembered as a historic event that struck at the root of tyranny. Let’s unite to mark this day as the beginning of a renewed revolt to bring justice for farmers.”<\/p>\n
Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Deepak Yadav said SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, along with 15 other party leaders have been detained at Parliament Street police station.<\/p>\n
Former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who resigned from the government last year over the farm laws tweeted that the extensive participation in the protest march reveals public anger.<\/p>\n
She said, “Farmers have been protesting at the Delhi border for a year, but the Centre is keen on quashing them. We are proud to have quit the NDA. Akali Dal will continue to resist despotism.”<\/p>\n
Claiming that the Delhi Police attempted to stop their protest march, SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said, “It is an undeclared emergency in New Delhi.” A section of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, has been protesting at Delhi border points against the Centre’s three farm laws for over nine months now.<\/p>\n
The protesting farmers have been demanding the repeal of the laws which they feel will do away with the MSP system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.<\/p>\n
The government has insisted that these laws have given farmers a new opportunity to sell their produce and rebuffed claims that they are directed to wiping away with the minimum support price regime and farm mandis.<\/p>\n
However, BJP controlled areas that have started implementing these new farm laws witnessed furious farmers throwing truckloads of tomatoes on the road because they were forced to sell their tomatoes at Rs. 1, 2, and 3 per kilo!<\/p>\n