NIA raids woman farmer leader's residence in Bathinda

BATHINDA: The sleuths of National Investigations Agency on the wee hours of Friday swooped at the residences of many activists, accused of having links with naxal forces, including at the residence of farmer leader Sukhwinder Kaur at Rampura Phool town of Bathinda. Such raids were also conducted at the residences of certain advocates at Mohali. It is being stated that the searches across Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi were made in connection with a Naxal recruitment case involving leaders of the banned outfit, which were part of case RC-01/2023/NIA-Lucknow.
NIA investigations have revealed that several frontal organisations and student wings have been tasked with motivating and recruiting cadres, as well as propagating Naxal ideology, with the aim of waging war against the state.
Sukhwinder Kaur is associated with BKU (Krantikari) and is general secretary of the farmer outfit.
At the time of the raid, Sukhwinder Kaur was not at his home but her husband, son, daughter-in-law, and 90-year-old mother were there. Knowing about the raid the farmer organisation activists assembled outside her residence and asked people in large numbers to reach.
BKU Krantikari chairman Surjit Singh Phool said that “when the raid was conducted Sukhwinder Kaur was not present at her home but she informed the farmer leaders about the raid and they assembled at her residence.
Phul said NIA is using flimsy reasons to intimidate the rights activists who raise voice against wrongdoings including protesting farmers. Earlier during the previous farmer struggle too such raids were conducted.
Protesting farmers reportedly sent a lawyer and three farmers inside the house while the raid was on.
He said all farmer unions had decided to stage protests against the NIA whenever they came for raids at farmers’ houses.
Kisan Mazdoor Morchga coordinator Sarvan Singh Pandher reacting to the raid said “I strongly condemn this raid by NIA at the house of our woman farmer leader. The timing of the raid coincides with the completion of 200 days of the morcha at the Shambhu border. Earlier, the Centre called us Khalistanis and now they will give us another name. However, we are not afraid of such raids and stand by Sukhwinder Kaur”.