Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s sudden crackdown on protesting farmers at Shambhu and Khanauri border has sparked controversy. What led to this action, and why did the AAP government shift its stance?
Haryana Police removed all cemented barricades from Shambhu border on Thursday morning, a day after Punjab Police, in a major crackdown, evicted protesting farmers from both Shambhu and Khanauri border. Punjab police uprooted all tents and structures erected by farmers since February 13 last year, and detained top farmer leaders including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Sarvan Singh Pandher, Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra and Manjeet Singh Rai, moments after they returned from a meeting in Chandigarh with Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. The farmer leaders have been shifted to a PWD guest house. Dallewal has been admitted to a hospital in Jalandhar. The Centre has fixed May 4 for the next round of talks with farmer leaders. Soon after the talks with Centre ended, Punjab Police started a crackdown and forcibly evicted farmers. Heavy police deployment was made at all entry points near Shambhu and Khanauri border. Bulldozers were used to raze semi-permanent structures erected by farmers. More than 250 farmers from Khanauri and 110 famers from Shambhu border have been detained. The detained farmers have been shifted to a marriage hall. Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal targeted Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann saying , “the real face of Aam Aadmi Party now stands exposed”. AAP minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that since the farmers’ agitation was against the Centre, and the two borders had remained closed for long, the state police had to take action. One must note that the the three-hour-long talks between farmer leaders and the Union Ministers had ended on a promising note and there was peace on Shambhu border. Yet Punjab’s AAP government suddenly took action. This is surprising. Bhagwant Mann had been supporting the farmers’ agitation till a month ago, but when farmers started reminding him of his government’s promises, Mann took umbrage. At his last meeting with farmer leaders last month, Mann left in a huff and said he would not bow to their demands. It seems Mann became angry when farmer leaders came to Chandigarh for direct talks with two Central ministers. The moment the meeting ended, Mann sent police to evict the squatting farmers.
Nagpur riots : Provoked by rumour mongering
The arrest of a local small-time politician in Nagpur by police for being the mastermind behind Monday’s communal violence raises serious concerns. Faheem Khan is not a popular leader. In last year’s Lok Sabha elections, he contested against Union Minister Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur and got only 1,073 votes, while Gadkari got more than 6,55,000 votes. This shows, it does not require much mass-based support to incite feelings. Faheem Khan took advantage of this. He knew that by spreading false rumours about the burning of a green colored chadar on which holy ‘aayats’ (verses) had reportedly been written, he could incite mobs to indulge in violence. The fact is opposite. It was only a green-coloured saree and not a chadar on which holy verses had been written. The false rumour was spread through social media including WhatsApp and mobs came to the streets, armed with weapons and stones. Now, peace prevails in Nagpur, though curfew has been imposed in 10 police station areas as a precautionary measure. 57 persons, including seven teenagers, have been arrested, while eight activitists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have surrendered to police. The riot appears to be part of a pre-meditated plot. The rioters, according to FIR, went to the extent of misbehaving and manhandling female police personnel. Social media is being used as a tool by mischief makers to incite passions. In Burhanpur, MP, a youth posted an objectionable remark against Islam on Instagram. The screenshot was immediately circulated on social media, and several thousand people came out on the streets shouting slogans in Loharmandi. They surrounded the police station. Timely action by the local collector and SP defused tension. The youth was detained by police.
Sunita Williams : A long recovery ahead
People heaved a sign of relief when NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth on Wednesday morning after waiting in space for nine months. World leaders thanked Elon Musk, his SpaceX team and NASA staff for the safe return of the astronauts. Sunita Williams will take a lot of time to recover. Both the astronauts had to be lifted on to gurneys as they could not walk. Astronauts face health related complications after they return from space. Since they cannot walk inside the space station, and have to live in micro-gravity conditions, their legs become baby feet. Sunita Williams will undergo a complex recovery procedure. Living in micro-gravity conditions weakens human muscle, the body loses its balance and body fluids start shifting. In zero gravity, the mineral density of the bones of astronauts reduce by 1 to 1.5 per cent every month. In micro-gravity conditions, blood and other body fluid shift from bottom upwards and it affects the eyes and brain. Due to less mineral density of bones, it is a challenge to walk straight, stand erect and to maintain body balance. During her nine-month sojourn, Sunita Williams faced radiation equivalent to nearly 270 x-rays. This causes the body’s resistance power to decline, and carcinogenic risks can arise. It takes several months for bone density to recover after return to Earth. In brief, a human being requires utmost courage and control to remain in space for a long time. Sunita Williams showed this is possible.
Aaj Ki Baat: Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm
India’s Number One and most followed Super Prime Time News Show ‘Aaj Ki Baat- Rajat Sharma Ke Saath’ was launched just before the 2014 General Elections. Since its inception, the show has redefined India’s super-prime time and is numerically far ahead of its contemporaries. Aaj Ki Baat: Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm.
