Farmers submit memo to Warring’s representative
Ludhiana, July 8
Farmers under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union (BKMU) met today and submitted a memorandum to Sukhkarandeep Singh Vaid, representative of Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
Farmers want Warring to raise their issues in the Parliament and cautioned that if he failed to do so, then they would think that even he does not care about them.
Dilbagh Singh, state president, Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union, handed over the memorandum and said that in 2020-2021, farmers had protested against the farm laws. They lifted the dharna after they were assured of their demands being accepted but no concrete step was taken thereafter. Left with no other option, farmers once again marched towards the Delhi border in February.
The key demands of farmers include a legal guarantee of MSP on their produce, withdrawal of police cases filed against them during the 2020-21 protests, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, debt waivers and no hike in electricity tariff, he added.
“Farmers Shubhkaran Singh and Surinder Pal Singh Akri lost their life while farmer Pritpal Singh lost his eyesight due to the oppressive actions of the police force. Nearly 700 farmers lost their lives during the previous farmers’ movement,” he said.
BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) protest
Members of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), today, protested outside the office of the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana.
Addressing the gathering, Saudagar Singh, general secretary, said that two and a half year ago, on the invitation of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the BJP candidate SR Laddar had come to Kheri Jameri village and as farmers started asking him questions, he fled and later, cases were registered against them. The union today assembled to protest against these cases. They said that an inquiry has already been conducted but has not been presented in the court.
Police authorities assured them that they would take action in this regard. At this, the farm union leaders said that in case these cases are not taken back, they would be left with no other option but to intensify their struggle.
