Farmers staging the ‘pakka morcha’ for the 37th consecutive day against the transfer of ownership of the cooperative sugar mill at Sheron clashed with the police on Friday while attempting to submit a memorandum to Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains regarding their demands. Bains was at Khehra Farm, located just half a kilometre from the protest site, to attend an Education Department event.
Protest leaders said farmer organisations wanted to submit a memorandum highlighting their demands, but the minister allegedly refused to accept it.
As soon as the farmers moved towards the venue of the minister’s event, the police surrounded them. When the protesters tried to proceed towards the venue, a clash broke out between the farmers and the police.
Leaders strongly protested against the police action, alleging that the farmers were forcibly stopped despite moving peacefully to submit a memorandum to the minister.
Farmers reiterated their demand that the sugar mill be reopened without delay. The nearby national highway was blocked for some time during the protest.
The agitated farmers burnt effigies of Bains and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who was also attending the event at Khehra Farm.
