Lucknow: On Sunday, the officers of 7 Rajputana Rifles gathered in New Delhi to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of taking over Maynamati ridge while .
After meeting at Singhu, arhtiyas-farmers decide to gherao I-T officials during raids
Farmer unions, it has been decided, will reach at the location where the I-T team will come for any operation and will join the ahrtiyas. Later offices of I-T officials and even their houses will also be gheraoed. Updated: December 24, 2020 6:04:48 pm
Labourers and employees sit idle at the grain market in Mullanpur, Ludhiana, while Punjab arhtiyas are on strike. Express Photo: Gurmeet Singh
Farmers and arhtiyas on Wednesday decided that they will together gherao income tax officials in case they come for any search or raid without proper documentation. The decision was taken at a meeting at Singhu border between the 5-member committee of ahrtiyas with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha which includes the representatives of 32 farmer unions of Punjab.
Brar and Kalra were at Dhuri Tuesday afternoon to be at the bhog ceremony of one Krishan Kumar, who was working as an accountant at an ahrtiya’s shop in Dhuri in Sangrur district and had died at the Singhu protest site.
Kalra said, “Gathering was unexpected at this spot, we are united like never before. Tuesday afternoon, Kumar’s family was given Rs 11 lakh out of which Rs 5 lakh was from Punjab government, Rs 5 lakh from FAA and Rs 1 lakh from SGPC’s side. Kumar was part of a protest at Singhu border. He was in his mid-60s and he had a heart attack on December 10 at Singhu border. He could not be saved, though he was taken to the hospital for medical help.”
Arhtiyas slam I-T searches, to shut Punjab mandis this week in protest
The Federation of Arhtiya Associations of Punjab said the arhtiyas also plan to gherao the offices of tax officials and a “final plan of action” will be chalked out after consulting farm leaders. Updated: December 21, 2020 2:33:05 pm
The meeting of the Ahrityas executive body at Baghapurana constituency in Punjab’s Moga district on Sunday.
AFTER INCOME Tax officials served notices to 14 top arhtiyas, or commission agents, in Punjab and conducted searches at premises linked to six of them over the last two days, a key umbrella group Sunday announced the closure of all mandis in the state from December 22 to 25 as a mark of protest against the action.
Kisan bhravan di sewa vich (in the service of farmer brothers)”.
“On December 7, close arhtiyas and labourers in 50 buses and 80 cars from Moga, Khanna, Ludhiana and Fatehgarh Sahib districts reached Delhi and stayed there for two days. We handed over eatables and other stuff that we carried along at our tent before walking to farmers’ stage at Singhu. The district units of ahrtiyas have been donating money ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 21,000 and sometimes more,” added Kalra. “The arhtiyas going to the Singhu border carry with them bottled water (at least 100 crates each trip), food for self and dry ration for farmers”.