SAD to hold ‘dharnas’ in Patiala, Mansa and Shahkot for ‘justice’ to flood-hit farmers

Chandigarh, August 14

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will hold dharnas in Patiala, Mansa and Shahkot to demand “justice” for flood affected farmers, with the opposition party on Monday alleging that they are being denied compensation by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

At the party’s core committee meeting here, the SAD also decided to launch a 45-day “Punjab Bachao” movement from September 30 “to force the corrupt AAP government to fulfil promises made to the people”.

Decisions taken in the party’s core committee today:

1. Shiromani Akali Dal will hold dharnas in Patiala, Mansa and Shahkot to demand justice for flood ravaged farmers. Demands compensation @ Rs 50,000/acre for crop damage, Rs 5 lakh for repair of damaged houses & Rs 20 lakh for… pic.twitter.com/cNtbYdhsgI

— Shiromani Akali Dal (@Akali_Dal_) August 14, 2023

The SAD core committee, which met under chairmanship of party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, also decided to send a delegation to Manipur and Nuh to assess the situation and demand solace for the victims of violence, according to a party statement.

It condemned the violence in Nuh in Haryana recently and the BJP-led government’s alleged failure to maintain law and order.

At the core committee, the SAD passed a resolution against the alleged failure of the Minorities Commission to safeguard the interests of victims in both Manipur and Nuh and its “inability to even go to these areas”.

Speaking on the alleged injustice being done to farmers and those whose houses had been damaged and even destroyed due to the floods last month, Badal said, “No compensation has been received by anyone till yet which has aggravated the economic condition of the peasantry”.

He demanded the release of compensation at the rate of Rs 50,000 per acre for all farmers whose standing paddy crop had been destroyed.

He also asserted that compensation at the rate of Rs 20 lakh should be given to those whose houses were completely damaged.

Meanwhile, the SAD core committee also decided to send a five-member delegation comprising party leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundur, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Daljit Singh Cheema, Paramjit Singh Sarna and Sukwinder Sukhi to Manipur and Nuh to assess the latest situation.

The core committee also decided that except panchayat elections, the SAD would contest all other elections including the panchayat samiti, zila parishad, corporation and committee elections on the party symbol in league with its ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).