Punjab protest: Farmers hold 'chakka jam' against 'tardy' paddy purchase

Farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha on Saturday blocked roads at a few places in Punjab for an indefinite period to protest against “tardy” paddy procurement and lifting and other issues.

The protests were held at Badarukhan on Sangrur-Bathinda highway in Sangrur, Dagru on Moga-Ferozepur highway in Moga, Satiali Phul on Gurdasour-Tanda highway in Gurdaspur and Batala railway station, farmer leaders said.

In Phagwara, farmers have already been holding a protest on the Amritsar-Delhi national highway for the past many days.

While intensifying the stir in Phagwara, hundreds of farmers belonging to various farmers’ union on Saturday continued their dharna on national highways near Sugar Mills chowk.

The blockade continued as a four-hour long meeting between the administration and representatives of farmer unions led by Kisan Mazdoor Morcha coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher remained 'fruitless'. The farmers remained adamant on their demands to arrange meeting with Chief Minister and reimbursement of the cuts imposed on farmers by commission agents and rice millers under the cover of moisture.

Meanwhile, commuters had to face a tough time to drive between Jalandhar and Ludhiana due to the dharna. Long queues of vehicles were seen stranded even the police diverted the routes via link roads passing through different villages.

Roads were also blocked on Sangrur-Barnala highway at Badrukhan village, near Sangrur.

Saturday's protest came a day after the Samyukta Kisan Morcha held statewide road blockades against the slow paddy purchase.

Sarwan Singh Pandher, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Doaba) president Manjit Singh Rai, general secretary Satnam Singh Sahni, and Satnam Singh Beru, (Indian Farmer Association) addressed the protesting farmers in Phagwara.

Pandher requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to solve farmers' issues.

Talking to reporters, he made an appeal to Modi, “Listen to our 'fariyad' (passionate plea) for solving farmers issues.”

Pandher said their protests in Phagwara, Batala, Sangrur and Moga districts will be indefinite.

He said the Centre does not reach any agreement with rice millers who allege that they get only 67 kg rice per quintal of hybrid paddy varieties and the Punjab government does not put any pressure on the Centre.

He claimed that cuts of 10 kg per quintal are also being imposed on farmers.

“Paddy is not being lifted or properly procured. The season for sowing new crops like wheat, potato and peas is already on,” Pandher said.

“Punjab's economy is based on agriculture and if agriculture gets ruined then the economy will also be ruined,” he said.

“Shortage of DAP fertilizer and stubble burning penalties were other burning issues of the protest,” he added.

Pandher urged traders and other sections of society to cooperate with farmers and also regretted the inconvenience to people due to blockades.

Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba) president Manjit Singh Rai and general secretary Satnam Singh Sahni also addressed the protesters.

Police diverted traffic through alternative routes but commuters faced inconvenience due to the blockade.

Notably, paddy lifting from mandis in Punjab has been hit after the state rice millers refused to mill the paddy till their demands are met.

While the ruling AAP blamed the BJP-led Centre for not evacuating foodgrain stock in the state to create sufficient space for storing fresh crop, the opposition parties — Congress and Akali Dal have lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government for the slow paddy procurement and lifting. — with PTI