Gurnam Singh Chaduni, Rakesh Bains among 9 farmer leaders likely to be released today
While the NH-44 blockade as part of the farmers’ protest ended Tuesday night, the khaps and farmer unions in Haryana have called for a bandh Wednesday, seeking WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s arrest.
Apart from Chaduni, the other prominent farmer leaders likely to be released are Rakesh Bains, Jasbir Singh Mamumajra, Prince Waraich, Jarnail Singh, Jairam, Gulab Singh, Surjit Singh and Pankaj. (Express photo) A week after they were arrested for blocking National Highway 44 (Delhi-Chandigarh) in protest, several farmer leaders, including Bharatiya Kisan Union’s (BKU’s) Gurnam Singh Chaduni and others, are likely to be released from prison on Wednesday.
The farmers’ protest ended on Tuesday night after the district administration in Haryana’s Kurukshetra assured them that the government had accepted their demands with respect to the minimum support price of sunflower and the release of the arrested leaders.
Apart from Chaduni, the other prominent farmer leaders likely to be released are Rakesh Bains, Jasbir Singh Mamumajra, Prince Waraich, Jarnail Singh, Jairam, Gulab Singh, Surjit Singh and Pankaj.
The protest ended after the government agreed to purchase the sunflower crop at Rs 5,000 per quintal and pay an additional Rs 1,400 as ‘Bhavantar Bharpai’ (price difference payment), which would add up to Rs 6,400 per quintal.
The farmers had blocked NH-44 since Monday afternoon and traffic on the busy Delhi-Chandigarh-Amritsar highway had been disrupted for over 33 hours till the blockades were removed late Tuesday night.
Police continue to remain deployed at the protest site to smoothen the traffic flow and ensure that the protesters have dispersed.
Call for Haryana bandh demanding Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s arrest
Several farmer unions and khaps in Haryana have called for a state-wide bandh on Wednesday, demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been facing sexual harassment allegations.
The bandh is likely to impact the supply of essential commodities like milk, vegetables and fruits to Delhi.
The bandh call comes at a time when the Centre has assured protesting wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vignesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik that the Delhi Police will submit its investigation report into the two FIRs registered against Singh and others by June 15.
In the wake of the bandh call, Congress MP from Rajasthan and senior Haryana Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala cancelled his tour of Kaithal and nearby areas that was scheduled to be held on Wednesday.
The tour will now be held on another date.
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