The Centre, on Wednesday, allocated 'Y+' category CRPF security to former diplomat and newly-joined Bharatiya Janata Party leader Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Sandhu, who has been India's Ambassador to the US, is all set to debut his electoral arena in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, contesting on a BJP ticket from Punjab's Amritsar.
The development comes days after Sandhu's recent visit to two villages within the Amritsar district for his election campaign, which encountered protests from local farmers. As per media reports, farmers lined the streets, displaying black flags and voicing slogans against Sandhu's candidacy while his convoy was passing through the villages.
"Democracy ensures the freedom of expression for all. While protesters exercise their right to dissent, I remain committed to advancing my campaign agenda. We have plans aimed at augmenting farmers' income," Sandhu reacted to the protests, as reported by NDTV.
As per media reports, the protests occurred during Sandhu's roadshow in the Gangomahal and Kallomahal villages within the Ajnala tehsil of Punjab.
In line with the directives of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the leading force behind the farmers' agitation against the Centre's now-repealed three controversial farm laws, farmers have pledged to oppose the saffron party's leaders' campaigns in rural areas of the state.
"The saffron party seeks to reclaim power and is currently engaged in electioneering. We are going to oppose their campaigning in our villages vehemently," NDTV quoted one of the protesting farmers as saying.
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Taranjit Singh Sandhu concluded his tenure as India's envoy to the US on February 1. Soon after his tenure as an evoy ended he embarked on a new journey in the field of politics. He joined the saffron party on March 20. He has secured a place on the list of candidates by the saffron party for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls just ten days later.
However, the reports of section campaigns against leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party don't conclude here. In another incident, North West Delhi MP and renowned singer Hans Raj Hans, nominated by the BJP from Faridkot for the polls, also witnessed farmer protests recently.
The decision to confront the saffron party was taken during the Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat held at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.
The mahapanchayat on March 14, which was attended by thousands of farmers, passed a resolution to escalate protests against the Centre's agricultural policies.
Among their many demands, the farmers advocated for a legal assurance of minimum support prices (MSP) for all crops, following the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, as well as a waiver on agricultural loans. Click here to read more.
The "Delhi Chalo" march, organised and conducted by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, started on February 13 but faced hindrance from security forces at the Haryana border points, resulting in clashes. Read more about the protests here.