Traders purchasing paddy crop below MSP: Akalis

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today organised a dharna outside the office of Abohar Sub-Divisional Magistrate against tardy lifting in mandis and black marketing of fertilisers.

SAD workers were led by Abohar halqa incharge Harbinder Singh Harry Sandhu and former Balluana MLA Gurtej Singh Ghuriana.

Sandhu said farmers were being looted by applying cut on paddy produce on pretext of moisture content.

He said farmers had to wait for several days at grain markets to sell their paddy. Under the nexus of traders and government officials, farmers had been forced to accept lower price than the MSP.

Ghuriana pointed out that farmers were forced to stay at mandis on Diwali. The AAP government in the state and the Modi government at the Centre had backstabbed farming community through anti-farmer policies, said the former MLA.