Farmers Had No Intention Of Obstructing The PM’s Visit To Punjab: SKM

Mumbai: Farmers had no intention of obstructing PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said.

The SKM said that protests are taking place across the state over the demands of the farmers from the central government and the farmers are not aware that they are on the path of the PM. Also Read: Immediately Secure And Preserve Travel Records Of PM During His Punjab Visit: SC

“As soon as we received the news of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Punjab on January 5, ten farmers’ organizations affiliated to the United Kisan Morcha announced a symbolic protest over the arrest of Ajay Mishra Teni and other outstanding demands… There was no program to stop the Prime Minister’s visit or obstruct his program.” Also Read: Punjab Government Submits Report To MHA On PM Security Lapse, Claims It Had No Prior Info On Change In Route

“When some farmers were stopped by the police administration from going to the district headquarters of Ferozepur, they protested by sitting on the road at many places. Among them was the flyover of Pyarena where the Prime Minister’s convoy came, stopped and went back. The farmers protesting there had no concrete information that the Prime Minister’s convoy was going to pass through. They got this information from the media after the Prime Minister’s return,” the farmers’ body said in a statement.

Prime Minister Modi, who was scheduled to address a rally and launch several projects in Punjab on Wednesday, returned to the Bathinda airport after a ‘security lapse’, cutting short his visit to the state.

In a statement, the MHA declared that around 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, the PM’s convoy, which was on a flyover, couldn’t proceed further as the road was blocked by protesters.

“The PM was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of the PM,” as per the MHA.

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