Chandigarh, December 10
Farmers in Punjab have decided to take upon themselves the onerous task of forcing the Union government to reduce the prices of petroleum products in consonance with prices prevailing worldwide.
Hundreds of farmers owing allegiance to the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta) held dharnas and rallies outside offices of sub-divisional magistrates at 20 different places in the state today. At places they even blocked the traffic to send a message to the Union government that the recent cut in the prices of petrol and diesel were “inadequate, illogical and unacceptable.”
Dharnas and rallies were held at Moga, Nihal Singhwala, Barnala, Sunam, Mansa, Sardulgarh, Bareta, Talwandi Sabo, Rampura, Bathinda, Gidderbaha, Muktsar, Abohar, Jalalabad, Payal, Samrala, Ajnala, Majitha and Batala.
Farmers’ leaders, including Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, held that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal had done nothing except make statements in the media to get petroleum prices reduced on a par with prevailing international prices.
“We will intensify our agitation. We have called a meeting of various organisations of farmers at Ludhiana on December 14 where a line of action will be decided. It is not only the petroleum prices, we also want reduction in the prices of insecticides, pesticides and other products that use
petroleum products as raw material. Further, the government has to review the tax regime on various petroleum products and other farm inputs,” says Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan.
While the Chief Minister wanted prices of petroleum products cut by a minimum of 30 per cent, the farmers want them to be reduced to one-third of their current prices.
The Union government by pursuing pro-rich and pro-capitalist policies have been allowing petroleum companies to make huge profits in spite of the fact that international prices of petroleum products have come down to US $ 40 a barrel from US $ 147 a barrel.
What else can be a proof of pro-capitalist and pro-rich policies of the Union government that violated the model code of conduct in reducing the prices of aviation turbine fuel twice? It has been reduced by Rs 17.11 per litre, while petrol prices have been reduced by Rs 5 a litre and diesel only Rs 2 a litre.
And the airlines in the country have not made corresponding cuts in fuel surcharge on air tickets in the country. Airlines continue to pocket the benefits of reduction in aviation turbine fuel prices.
Farmers want an immediate end to the policy of linking petroleum prices in the country to prevailing international prices. “The previous policy should be re-introduced,” Joginder Singh Ugrahan said.
In case the Union government did not take immediate steps and reduce the prices of petroleum products and other farm inputs, farmers would be forced to intensify agitation. Both Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Sukhdev Singh Kokri appealed to all organisations to join the agitation and force the Union government to stop patronising affluent multinational companies and instead provide relief to the common man.
