Gherao Delhi cops if they come to arrest you: Rajewal to farmers

Chandigarh, Feb 21: Alleging that notices are being served on people backing the agitation against the farm laws, BKU leader Balbir Singh Rajewal on Sunday asked farmers to gherao Delhi Police personnel if they come to their villages to make an arrest.

The BKU (Rajewal) leader also asked the Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government that the state police should not cooperate with the Delhi cops.

"If the Delhi Police personnel come to arrest you, gather the entire village and oppose them," Rajewal told farmers at a "Kisan-Mazdoor Ekta Maha Rally" in Punjab''s Barnala on Sunday.

The rally was organised by the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union. Two days ago, Haryana BKU chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni had made a similar appeal.

Rajewal asked farmers not to appear before the Delhi Police if they get notices for joining investigation and told them to ''gherao'' the Delhi Police personnel if they come to make an arrest.

Claiming that the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre is scared of the farmers'' agitation, he alleged that those serving ''langar'' or extending help to farmers at the protest sites near Delhi borders are being issued notices by police.

"Those who are bringing ''langar'' material or extending help to us in whatever manner they can, they are being slapped with notices. It is in my knowledge that many FIRs have been lodged against unknown persons by the Delhi Police," the BKU leader said.

"I want to make it clear to all farmers and labourers that if anyone gets notice, do not bother, forward one copy to us. No one needs to appear before police," he said.

Rajewal said it is a "moment of test" for the Punjab government, which should tell the state police not to cooperate with the Delhi Police.

Rajewal further said the farmers'' agitation against the laws has now turned into a "jan andolan" (people''s movement).

"It is a question of your future and children," he said, adding that they would not return until the farm laws are withdrawn.

He also praised village panchayats for their decision of sending people to the protest sites on rotational basis.

Rajewal said the Union government had no right to bring the laws as the agriculture is a state subject.

He also defended commission agents (arhtiyas), saying they only charge for their "service" and accused the Centre of bringing corporates as "middlemen" with these laws.

On farmer leaders'' multiple rounds of meetings with the government earlier, Rajewal said, "We told the government that when they are ready to make many amendments in these laws, what is the problem in rolling back them."

The BJP had propagated that they framed these laws keeping in view the farmers'' interests but we confronted them and asked where farmers demanded the legislations, he stated.

Addressing the gathering, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said his outfit has planned to hold a big gathering in Delhi on February 27 and decided to observe International Women''s Day on March 8 in the national capital.

Referring to the Republic Day violence, Ugrahan said it was done by a group which acted at the behest of the government.

He asked farmers to prepare for a long battle against the farm legislations. "This is not a fight of a religion or caste. It is a fight of secular people. This agitation is for occupation. It is a fight of the country''s farmers," he said.

BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan also sought release of labour rights activist Nodeep Kaur, lodged in a Karnal jail.

Kaur, a member of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, was arrested for allegedly gheraoing an industrial unit and demanding money from the company in Sonipat on January 12.