Chandigarh, June 17
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) today decided to lift road blocks following a broad agreement reached between the BKU and state government during the second round of talks held between the two in Jind today.

Even as the state government succeeded in persuading the BKU to lift the road blocks, the union clarified that the government’s claim of “unconditional withdrawal of the agitation by the BKU” following today’s meeting was unfounded.

Talking to TNS, Mr Ghasiram Nain, President of the BKU, said the BKU dharna and block at Kandela would continue and road blocks at all other places would be withdrawn. Also, the road block at Kandela village (on the Jind-Kaithal road) would remain till the BKU decided on its next course of action on Wednesday.

He said the BKU decided to withdraw the road blocks following an agreement with the state government on the issue of compensation to farmers killed in police firing. In addition, the road blocks were creating problems for the public, he said.

He said families of farmers who got killed in police firing would get Rs 5 lakh each from the ruling INLD, plus a government job for one person from each of these families. He added that those permanently handicapped in police action would also get a government job and Rs 1 lakh each. Those who had been seriously injured in police action would also get Rs 1 lakh each, Mr Nain said.

He said that in the absence of the Chief Minister, the members of the government delegation were unable to take any decision regarding BKU’s demand of writing off pending electricity arrears. So, it was decided that the issue would be taken up after the return of the Chief Minister from his foreign trip.

Mr Sampat Singh, Finance Minister of Haryana, however, gave a different representation of the terms of the understanding reached between the two sides. He clarified that Rs 5 lakh each would be given to the families of the slain farmers by the INLD president, on behalf of the party, as “financial support” and not as “compensation”. While those permanently handicapped (or anyone else who is eligible from the families of such persons) would get government jobs, they would receive treatment up to Rs 1 lakh free of cost instead of getting Rs 1 lakh in cash. Similarly, those seriously injured would also get treatment up to Rs 1 lakh free of cost.