Why labour and trade unions protesting in Sangrur?

A large number of protests were held outside the residence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on behalf of the 'Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee' in Sangrur, Punjab, regarding their demands.

On behalf of the 'Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee', workers from all over Punjab had come to protest against the Punjab government for their demands.

A large number of women also participated in this demonstration. Police had to lathicharge to control the protesters who came from all over Punjab to reach the Chief Minister's residence in Sangrur with their demands.

These labourers first gathered on the Patiala Bypass and then proceeded towards the CM's residence where a heavy police force was already deployed. When the labour organizations from all over Punjab started going towards the CM's house, the police stopped them, and a skirmish-like situation arose in which some workers were injured.

Now the trade unions are sitting on a dharna in front of the Chief Minister's colony gate. There is a demand for labourers that along with the inflation, the rate of our wages should also be increased. The labourers demand that 33% of the Panchayati land has to be given to the backward people for cultivation, but there have been cases in many places in Punjab where general category people take land on contract in the name of the backward people and do farming.

The labourers demand that the labourers who do not have good houses of their own should be given plots to build houses from the Panchayati land as promised by the government.

These are the demands of the farmers

• The protesters are demanding that the state government increase their minimum daily wages under the MGNREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) to Rs 700.

• Implementation of 5 Marla land scheme.

• 33 per cent representation for Dalits in rural co-operative societies, increase in compensation for land acquisition, relief to farmers suffering from death of cattle from lumpy skin disease and compensation for crop damage.

At night, as they marched towards the prime minister's residence, the police resorted to charging cane to disperse them.

Expressing confidence in a landslide victory in the upcoming elections, Chief Minister Mann said that 6.5 million people of Gujarat are ready for a change and that AAP will form a government with a large majority after overthrowing the oppression and tyrannical regime of 27 years in Gujarat.

The Chief Minister said that despite ruling the state for the past 27 years, the people of Gujarat are still deprived of basic facilities, including good education and health facilities.

Young people are jobless and inflation is rising unabated in the state, but the BJP did nothing to improve the situation and its leaders remained focused on filling their own coffers only, he told a public meeting in Gujarat.

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