Farmers organise dharna to protest ‘tardy’ paddy purchase in Malerkotla

Led by office bearers of their respective outfits, farmers, commission agents along with rice sheller owners of the region falling under Malerkotla, Ludhiana, Sangrur and Barnala districts, organised dharnas at strategic points on highways and the Dhuri-Ludhiana railway track from 12 pm to 3 pm.

While speakers of the Arhityas Union and Rice Millers Union protested against the ‘failure’ of the state government to undertake a smooth procurement process and subsequent processing by rice millers, farmer leaders dared the administration to stop them from burning stubble at their fields.

“We will set afire stubble standing in field after duly informing the authorities; let them (authorities) come and stop us,” said Amarjit Singh Rohno, an office bearer of BKU Dakaunda (Buta Singh Buraj Gill) while addressing a gathering at Grewal Chowk linking the Malerkotla-Patiala, Malerkotla-Ludhiana and Malerkotla-Sangrur roads.

Speakers including Bharpur Singh Boolapur (CPI), Rupinder Singh Chaundan (Kirti Kisan Union), Teena Nangal (Arhtiyas Union), Saudagar Singh Ghudani (BKU Ugrahan), Bikramjit Singh Kalakh (Road Sangharash Committee), Kulwinder Singh Bhudan (BKU Ugrahan), and Surinder Kuradchhapa (Arhityas Union) said the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led state government and Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to cater to the interests of cultivators and food-grain handlers who had been supporting the economy of the nation since Independence.

The protesters accused the administration of harassing farmers on various pretexts. Kisan Union leaders said the government had been trying to camouflage their negligence to provide means for alternative modes of stubble management.

Non-allotment of mantis to rice millers, slow pace of procurement and lifting, poor supply of DAP and harassment of paddy growers on ‘flimsy grounds’ were cited as major issues of rice millers, commission agents and farmers.