Protesting Punjab farmers prevented from entering Chandigarh

The Punjab police today stopped farmers protesting against the non-payment of dues amounting to Rs 100 crore by the state government from entering Chandigarh as they planned to 'gherao' Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's residence.
The sugarcane farmers - under the banner of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) - had gathered outside a Gurdwara in Mohali before heading towards Chandigarh.
However, the police stopped them at the Chandigarh-Mohali border. The farmers have been protesting against the Congress-led government for the non-payment of dues.
Denied permission to enter Chandigarh, the farmers squatted on the road near the YPS Chowk in Mohali.

"We will continue to sit on the road till the government gives us assurance about the payment of dues," said union's general-secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal.
"We have been demanding that sugarcane farmers should be paid Rs 100 crore which has been due for the past several months," Lakhowal said.
A delegation of the farmers later met Suresh Kumar, the chief principal secretary to the Punjab CM. "During the meeting, no assurance was given to us for the payment of dues," he said.
A large number of police personnel were deployed in the area. Water canon vehicles were also stationed nearby.