Stir by farmers, arhtiyas, millers brings Punjab to grinding halt

Farmers, commission agents and rice millers today blocked roads, while another farmer union members squatted on railway tracks for three hours, bringing the state to a grinding halt.

Though the public was inconvenienced with even highways being blocked by protesters, the police diverted traffic via alternative routes.

The protest was against the non-acceptance of their demands, mostly related to the BJP-ruled Centre, which has led to tardy procurement of paddy in the state, although the official procurement season began 13 days ago.

The arhtiyas have been demanding restoration of their 2.5 per cent commission, while the millers want the previous years’ rice stocks to be moved out to make space for storing fresh produce. The SKM has brought the arhtiyas and millers under a common umbrella to protest about procurement pangs faced by the state’s agrarian economy.

The BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) separately blocked the rail tracks, impacting operation of 16 trains.

Jalandhar/Phagwara: The traffic on the Phillaur national highway and the Jalandhar-Phillaur-Ludhiana highway remained paralysed for three hours. Farmers blocked traffic near the Dhannowali railway crossing, Phagwara Sugar Mill Chowk and Phillaur. Long queues of vehicles were witnessed on village link roads as traffic was diverted via alternative routes.

Leaders of the Kirti Kisan Union, Jamhuri Kisan Sabha, BKU (Rajewal), BKU (Kadian), Arhtiya Association Punjab, sheller union, Pendu Mazdoor Union and others addressed protesters at Dhannowali. Over 300 farmers and arthiyas blocked vehicular road traffic at the GT Road in Phallaur.

Ferozepur: Hundreds of farmers belonging to various unions blocked highways in the cantonment area, Talwandi Bhai and Makhu. Avtar Singh Mehma of the Krantikari Kisan Union said the farmers had to protest since the lifting of paddy was very slow.

Vijay Monga, a resident of the city area, said he had to go to Moga in the afternoon to attend an important function, but he could not reach there in time due to the protest. Farmer union members must take care of the problems faced by the public, he said.

Sangrur: Members and activists of the BKU (Ugrahan) blocked rail track from 12 noon to 3 pm at Sunam. Union leaders said the government had been turning a blind eye to their issues. They alleged the Centre wanted to discontinue the government purchase of paddy. BKU (Ugrahan) vice-president Janak Singh Bhutal, state secretary Jagtar Singh Kalajhar and others spoke on the occasion. Members of the SKM and rice millers’ association blocked the Sangrur-Barnala main road at Badrukhan village.

Abohar: Activists of the BKU (Rajewal) staged a dharna on the Abohar-Fazilka-Malout road outside the new grain market here. District chief of the union Sukhmandar Singh said the CM had claimed that entire paddy would be purchased on MSP, but there was hardly any buying by government agencies.

He said paddy was not being purchased on the pretext of high moisture content. Due to that reason, many farmers were forced to sell their produce to private traders at below-MSP rates.

Patiala: Traffic remained blocked at various places across the district, causing inconvenience to commuters at Rajpura, Nabha and other places. All India Kisan Federation president Prem Singh Bhangu said it was a warning to the Centre and the Punjab Government to wake up from their deep slumber and concede to the genuine demands of farmers or be prepared to face another struggle by farmers.

SAD warns state govt

• The SAD has warned the AAP government to procure each and every grain of paddy and lift paddy reaching mandis within 72 hours or be ready to face a sustained agitation
• At a meeting of the party’s core committee presided over by its working president Balwinder Singh Bhundar, it was alleged that the farmers were suffering due to failure of the government
• Senior leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said the party panel also expressed concern over the manner in which the AAP government indulged in malpractices in the conduct of panchayat elections

AAP pins blame on Centre

• AAP has said that the root cause of all issues raised by farmers, millers and arhtiyas lies in the Central Govt’s policies. Party leader Neel Garg alleged the Food Corporation of India was not deliberately emptying the godowns to stock fresh produce
• Acknowledging the farmers’ right to protest, he said the state government was working diligently to clear the warehouses so that the new produce could be stored there
• He said some special trains had been initiated by the Centre for lifting grains. He urged farmers not to stop trains, as that could give the Centre an excuse to the slow down the pace of lifting