Punjab CM Amarinder Singh warns farmers against violating lockdown curbs

Farmer unions in Punjab have introduced they’ll stage protests throughout the State on May 8 against the continuing lockdown restrictions, at the same time as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh warned of strict prosecution in case of violation of restrictions.

As many as 32 farmer organisations of Punjab, which have been on the forefront of the continuing farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s farm legal guidelines, have appealed to all shopkeepers to open their outlets as a mark of protest against the lockdown.

“We will be staging demonstrations across the State on May 8. Also, we have appealed to the shopkeepers to open their shops. We will stand by the shopkeepers to ensure that their shops are not closed by administration,” stated Buta Singh Burjgil, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dhakonda).

Mr. Burjgil stated the Central authorities had did not curb the Coronavirus pandemic. “The governments are imposing a lockdown to hide their failures. On account of this, the lives of farmers, labourers, shopkeepers and common citizens have been affected in a big way. We will come on to the streets and protest against the lockdown,” he stated.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) normal secretary Harinder Singh stated each the Centre and the State governments had failed in managing the COVID-19 state of affairs. “I have been receiving several phone calls from shopkeepers since morning from different districts, who have expressed desire to open their shops today [May 8]. Governments are known as the caretaker of life and property, but forget the property, the government is not even taking care of the lives of the people,” he stated.

Amid the spiralling COVID numbers, Punjab Chief Minister has authorised the Deputy Commissioners to impose harsher restrictions, as wanted, inside their respective districts, however made it clear that no dilution of the prevailing curbs can be allowed, apart from opening of non-essential outlets and personal places of work on rotation.

He has additionally directed the Director General of Police to strictly implement the weekend lockdown within the State and deal stringently with any violations in view of the Kisan Sangharsh Morcha’s anti-lockdown agitation on Saturday.

Asserting that the Kisan Morcha, an amalgamation of 32 kisan unions, couldn’t dictate phrases to the State authorities, Capt. Singh in an announcement warned of strict prosecution in case of violation of restrictions. He stated if any outlets had been opened, the homeowners can be prosecuted.

Chairing a digital high-level evaluation assembly on Friday, the Chief Minister authorised the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to take any choice on opening of non-essential outlets or non-public officers on rotation, after taking the native MLAs and different stakeholders into confidence.

However, the DCs couldn’t impose any restrictions on inter-district motion, he stated, underlining the necessity to enable free circulation of individuals and items on the freeway community of the State.

“The new curbs, if any, and the opening of shops on rotation will come into effect from Monday,” he stated.