As a part of the policy to boycott anything related to industrialist Mukesh Ambani, farmers of Punjab have allegedly rendered over 1,500 out of 9,000 Reliance Jio towers in the state in-operational.
According to reports quoting Reliance Jio sources the protesting farmers have either damaged the towers, stolen the generators or have cut the wire to disrupt the functioning of Reliance Jio mobile phones.
The chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has taken strong notice to this action of farmers and has asked the police to take strict notice of such incidents. But till now no FIR has been lodged and no one has been arrested in the state.
It needs to be mentioned that the farmers’ unions had a fortnight back resolved to boycott all the Reliance goods, mobiles and malls as they are of the view that the Narendra Modi government had passed the three farm laws to benefit the big corporate houses, especially that of Mukesh Ambani.
However, the farmers’ unions have clarified that their boycott call does not mean physically targeting or damaging any business or communication network. The problem with the Police is that in the last couple of days targeting of Reliance Jio towers has spread to interior villages of Punjab too.
Meanwhile, Union agriculture secretary on Monday wrote a letter to the farmers’ unions fixing 2:00 PM, Dec 30 as the date for talks. Thus, there is likelihood of resumption of talk after three weeks.
Earlier on December 26 the farmers’ unions had given 11:00 AM, December 29 as the time and date for talks. However, they have refused to soften their stand.
