Farmers block roads, rail tracks to protest tardy paddy purchase in Punjab

In a massive show of unity, farmers, commission agents, and rice millers from Malerkotla, Ludhiana, Sangrur, and Barnala districts staged protests on highways and railway tracks, specifically the Dhuri-Ludhiana railway track, from 12 noon to 3 pm.

Led by office bearers from their respective organisations, they expressed frustration over the government’s alleged failure to ensure smooth procurement processes and efficient rice milling operations.

Speakers from arhtiyas’ union and rice millers criticised the government’s inaction, while farmer leaders, like Amarjit Singh Rohno of BKU Dakaunda, dared authorities to stop them from burning stubble in their fields. “We will set afire stubble standing in the field after duly informing the authorities, let them come and stop us,” Rohno declared.

Other prominent speakers, including Bharpur Singh Boolapur (CPI) and Rupinder Singh Chaundan (Kirti Kissan Union), accused the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, and the Union Government, led by Prime Minister Narender Modi, of neglecting cultivators and food-grain handlers who have supported the nation’s economy since Independence.

Accusing the administration of harassing farmers on various pretexts, farm leaders alleged that government personnel were trying to camouflage their own negligence to provide means for alternative modes of stubble management.

The non-allotment of mandis to rice millers, slow pace of procurement and lifting, poor supply of DAP and harassment of paddy growers on alleged flimsy grounds, were cited as major issues of rice millers, commission agents and farmers.