Farmers block NH in protest against procurement delay
Farmers led by BKU (Sidhupur) leaders today staged a dharna in front of the Market Committee office at Sirhind and blocked the National Highway in protest against the non-procurement of paddy at grain market.
The protesters were joined by former Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra who joined the farmers on a dharna on GT Road. They raised slogans against the State Government for its “failure” in initiating smooth procurement of paddy. Long queues of vehicles were seen on GT Road due to the protest.
Addressing the protesters, SKM leaders and Nagra said the Chief Minister did not call upon the Union Government to make arrangements and to shift rice and wheat lying in godowns, which resulted in strike by rice millers.
The CM also failed to get the issue of commission agents settled with the Union Government, they said. Now, when paddy had arrived in mandis the CM was holding meetings with all stakeholders they added. The SKM leaders said they would continue their strike till the procurement process and lifting was carried out regularly.
Sadhu Ram Bhattmajra, district president of Commission Agents’ Association, said they never stopped the procurement process but due to space crunch and tardy lifting there was problem of space in grain markets and the farmers got agitated. He said the procurement process was going on.
Meanwhile, the SDM and DSP of Fatehgarh Sahib along with DFSC reached the GT Road and persuaded the farmers to lift the blockade and get the procurement started.
