(Representative image)
PATIALA: Farmers hailing from Patiala district on Friday lifted their protest being held at YPS Chowk, near chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh s Patiala residence, after their demand of a fair price for their land acquired for Delhi-Amritsar-Kattra expressway was met.
However, the coordinator of of Road Kisan Sangharsh Committee, which has been spearheading the protest, reached the site of protest later on to continue the agitaton. Committee coordinator Harman Singh Jeji claimed that the government had adopted a divide-and-rule policy and gave a compensation of up to Rs 1 crore per acre to farmers in Patiala, the home district of Punjab CM, but farmers from other districts were being paid Rs 28 lakh to Rs 35 lakh on average.
Patiala, April 30
Farmers associated with the Road Kisan Sangharsh Committee on Friday blocked the connecting roads to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh s residence from YPS Chowk and the Main Road here as part of their protest against the state and Union governments, alleging acquisition of their land for the Delhi-Katra expressway at low compensation.
The farmers have also decided to carry out a march in the city starting from the Fountain Chowk.
The protest, planned days ago, shaped up as over 500 farmers reached Patiala on Thursday in their tractor-trolleys. The farmers associated with the committee have set up their tents near the CM s residence and have been protesting for over 35 days now. This also forced the city police to block all roads leading to the CM s residence for over a month now.