Agitating farmers take out protest rally in Gharsana

Sriganganagar, Oct 12 (UNI) Agitating farmers in Ganganagar district took out a protest rally today through Gharsana town and burnt effigies of the state irrigation minister and secretary.

The farmers in Phase I areas are demanding 58 per cent water of the total available from the Indira Gandhi Canal Project (IGPN).

Kisan Vyapari Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti's leader, Vallabh Kocher had threatened of intensifying their stir from Monday if their demands of releasing their arrested leaders, Hetram Beniwal, Sahebram Punia and others are not met by Sunday.

Divisional Commissioner, Vinod Kapoor and Inspector General of Police Laxman Meena are monitoring the situation.

Farmer leaders legislator Amraram, former legislator Sohan Nayak, Sant Lekha Singh and others, while addressing the assembled farmers, said the state government was provoking them to protest by terming their demands "unlawful.'' After the meeting, the farmers took out a rally through the main roads of the town and burnt the effigies of irrigation minister Sanwar Lal Jat and the irrigation secretary.

The markets remained closed for the third day in a row today. The roadways buses also did not ply on the roads.

Sources say, the army has been asked to be on alert in case of violent stirs again.

The farmers' agitation turned violent on tuesday as thousands of farmers laid seige in the Dhan Mandi area of the town. A pitched battle continued between farmers and policemen amidst stone pelting, firing tear gas shells and firing in the air. In Sakhi village, three police men were held hostage by the angry farmers, who beat them up injuring two of them seriously.

The administration had promulgated Section 144 CrPC as a preventive measure before the agitation .

Sensing the tense situation, the district administration had imposed curfew in Gharsana and Rawla areas of Ganganagar district.

despite that the farmers continued their protest.

The administration had to later withdraw the curfew orders.

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