CM's promises only on paper, stir on: Farmers

Bathinda, December 27

Farmers under the banner of the BKU Ekta Ugrahan continued their protest outside the district administrative complex in Bathinda and Mansa districts for the seventh day on Monday, demanding compensation for cotton crop damage and debt waiver.

Harjinder Singh Baggi, general secretary of the union, said, “During a meeting held between representatives of farm unions and Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, the latter had promised that pending demands of providing compensation for crop damage and debt waiver of Rs 2 lakh will be fulfilled soon. But these are just verbal assurances without anything on the ground. So we have decided to continue the agitation at the district headquarters till December 30 when the government has scheduled a meeting to discuss and take further decision on the matter.” Earlier, farm unions had given a call for a five-day agitation.

The protesters raised slogans against the government and demanded that their genuine demands be fulfilled before Assembly elections scheduled early next year. — TNS