Bypoll fails to enthuse Sangrur farmers

Parvesh Sharma

Sangrur, June 7

Alleging that candidates of various political parties have forgotten their issues and not raising their long-pending demands prominently during the election campaign as yet, majority of farmers seem to be disappointed and election enthusiasm is missing among them.

“All political parties have been deliberately ignoring farmers in their election campaign. Till date, I have not seen any leader giving any convincing statement to support farmers for their long pending demands. If they do not have any sympathy with us, why we should waste our time for them” said Gurkirat Singh, a farmer from Mangwal.

Another farmer, Satnam Singh, at local IELTS institute said all farmers were watching the Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll closely and listening to the statements of all politicians.

“But it’s first-ever election in my life when farmer issues are being ignored by various political parties. AAP leaders had promised moon before elections, but after the formation of their government, they have repeatedly been asking for more time from farmers. But how long time they want, none knows. Like other political parties, AAP candidate would also face questions from us. Other parties are giving importance to the issue of Sikh prisoners,” he said.

The main demands of farmers include complete debt waiver for farmers, construction of water recharging points to prevent further depletion of ground water, MSP for various crops and governments jobs and financial aid to deceased farmers, who have committed suicides due to rising debt.

But leaders of congress, AAP, SAD, BJP, Congress and SAD (Amritsar) said they had been raising the issues of farmers during their meetings. “All political parties should make the demands of farmers as the main election issue to prove their sincerity for the welfare of farmers,” said Amrik Singh, district president of BKU (Ugrahan).