Farm unions begin five-day protest in Punjab

Tribune News Service

Sangrur/Bathinda, Dec 20

Under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), farmers on Monday started protests in front of Deputy Commissioners’ offices in several districts of the state to press for their long-pending demands. The protests will continue till December 24.

Key demands

• Rs17,000 per acre relief to hailstorm and pest-hit farmers and 10% of it to farm labourers
• Rs5 lakh compensation to those who died during the stir and job to next of kin
• Rs3 lakh aid and job for families of farmers and labourers who have committed suicide
• Rs2 lakh to small and marginal farmers owning up to five acres for repaying debt

“Despite repeated promises and meetings with various unions, the Punjab Government has failed to fulfill the long-pending demands of farmers. We would intensify our agitation in coming days,” said Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan).

Their main demands include Rs 17,000 per acre financial assistance to farmers, who have suffered crop losses, and its 10 per cent payment to labourers, guarantee for Rs 360 a quintal of sugarcane from each sugar mill, Rs 3 lakh aid to families of labourers and farmers, who have committed suicides, complete debt waiver to them and a government job, cancellation of FIRs registered against protesting farmers, Rs 5 lakh financial aid to farmers and labourers who died during the Delhi stir and a government job to their families and immediate tubewell connections to farmers.

The other demands include registration of FIR against cops who “canecharged” protesting teachers during rally of the CM some days back, the rollback of hike in toll plaza charges and adequate supply of Urea.

In Bathinda, the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) launched a morcha near the DC office. Farmers brought trolleys and tents from villages for the morcha.

Addressing the dharna, BKU district president Singara Singh Mann said farmers and labourers, who were in dire straits due to bad debts and economic hardships, had been hit hard by bollworm and other natural calamities. “The government is suspending the compensation demanded by the farmers’ organisation which was to be paid to the farmers before sowing the next crop,” he said. District leaders Harjinder Singh Buggi and Paramjit Kaur Pitho said the struggle would continue till all the demands.