News Analysis India

Tag: Punjab farmers

  • Punjab floods: Protesting farmers stopped from proceeding to Chandigarh, detained 

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana police on Tuesday detained farmers at various places while they were proceeding to Chandigarh to protest against the failure of the government to offer compensation for their crops damaged in floods.

    The farmers are demanding a package of Rs 50,000 crore from the Centre for damages caused by floods in the northern region, including Punjab. They are also demanding Rs 50,000 per acre compensation for crop loss, Rs 5 lakh for a damaged house, and Rs 10 lakh compensation for a family of a person who died in the floods.

    The farmers were stopped at Ambala and several other places and detained by the police. Police have been deployed in large numbers on the points bordering Chandigarh to prevent the farmers from entering the city.

    On the Ambala-Chandigarh road, police had set up barricades at many places and the vehicles passing through were being searched.  Also, Anti-riot vehicles and a CCTV vehicle were deployed in Rajpura by Punjab Police.

    Farmers had claimed that several of their leaders were detained on Monday in different parts of Punjab, while some farmers were also held in Ambala and Kurukshetra in Haryana ahead of their protest plan.

    The farmers had even laid siege to some toll plazas in Amritsar and Tarn Taran of Punjab in protest against the detention of their leaders. Also, the farmers resorted to dharna at the toll plaza between Shahkot and Moga. The Sugarcane Sangharsh Samiti and Bhartiya Kisan Union demanded the government release all the detained farmer leaders immediately, failing which, they threatened to launch a huge protest.

    Earlier on Monday, a farmer died in Sangrur district of Punjab after being run over by a tractor-trolley, while five policemen were injured after growers clashed with police over the “detention” of some farm leaders.

    Family members demanded the police to hand over the body of Pritam Singh who was run over on Monday so that they can move it to a hospital for post-mortem. But police declined to handover the body suspecting that a dharna would be staged by the family.

    A case has been registered against farmers at the Longowal police station in Sangrur district for the death of a farmer yesterday evening this has further agitated the farmers and they want the case withdrawn.

    Sixteen farm bodies, including the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Bharti Kisan Union (Karanti kari), BKU (Ekta Azaad), Aazaad Kisan Committee, Doaba, BKU (Behramke) and the Bhoomi Bachao Mohim, had given the call for staging a demonstration here to seek compensation for losses caused by floods.

    Meanwhile, the Punjab Government released Rs 186 crore to the farmers for the loss of their crops in recent floods.

    Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation, and Disaster  Management Minister Bram Shanker Jimpa said that an amount of more than Rs. 186 crore to compensate for the crop loss of the farmers of the affected districts due to floods has been released. He said that advance funds have been released to the Deputy Commissioners of 16 districts of the state from the Natural Disaster Relief Fund to provide relief for the crop damage.

    Jimpa said that in the months of July and August, the crops of farmers were damaged due to floods in many areas and a Special Girdawari has been conducted in all the flood-affected areas of the state. He said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann fulfilled his promise to the flood victims on August 15 and initiated the process to hand over cheques of compensation. 

    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana police on Tuesday detained farmers at various places while they were proceeding to Chandigarh to protest against the failure of the government to offer compensation for their crops damaged in floods.

    The farmers are demanding a package of Rs 50,000 crore from the Centre for damages caused by floods in the northern region, including Punjab. They are also demanding Rs 50,000 per acre compensation for crop loss, Rs 5 lakh for a damaged house, and Rs 10 lakh compensation for a family of a person who died in the floods.

    The farmers were stopped at Ambala and several other places and detained by the police. Police have been deployed in large numbers on the points bordering Chandigarh to prevent the farmers from entering the city.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    On the Ambala-Chandigarh road, police had set up barricades at many places and the vehicles passing through were being searched.  Also, Anti-riot vehicles and a CCTV vehicle were deployed in Rajpura by Punjab Police.

    Farmers had claimed that several of their leaders were detained on Monday in different parts of Punjab, while some farmers were also held in Ambala and Kurukshetra in Haryana ahead of their protest plan.

    The farmers had even laid siege to some toll plazas in Amritsar and Tarn Taran of Punjab in protest against the detention of their leaders. Also, the farmers resorted to dharna at the toll plaza between Shahkot and Moga. The Sugarcane Sangharsh Samiti and Bhartiya Kisan Union demanded the government release all the detained farmer leaders immediately, failing which, they threatened to launch a huge protest.

    Earlier on Monday, a farmer died in Sangrur district of Punjab after being run over by a tractor-trolley, while five policemen were injured after growers clashed with police over the “detention” of some farm leaders.

    Family members demanded the police to hand over the body of Pritam Singh who was run over on Monday so that they can move it to a hospital for post-mortem. But police declined to handover the body suspecting that a dharna would be staged by the family.

    A case has been registered against farmers at the Longowal police station in Sangrur district for the death of a farmer yesterday evening this has further agitated the farmers and they want the case withdrawn.

    Sixteen farm bodies, including the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Bharti Kisan Union (Karanti kari), BKU (Ekta Azaad), Aazaad Kisan Committee, Doaba, BKU (Behramke) and the Bhoomi Bachao Mohim, had given the call for staging a demonstration here to seek compensation for losses caused by floods.

    Meanwhile, the Punjab Government released Rs 186 crore to the farmers for the loss of their crops in recent floods.

    Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation, and Disaster  Management Minister Bram Shanker Jimpa said that an amount of more than Rs. 186 crore to compensate for the crop loss of the farmers of the affected districts due to floods has been released. He said that advance funds have been released to the Deputy Commissioners of 16 districts of the state from the Natural Disaster Relief Fund to provide relief for the crop damage.

    Jimpa said that in the months of July and August, the crops of farmers were damaged due to floods in many areas and a Special Girdawari has been conducted in all the flood-affected areas of the state. He said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann fulfilled his promise to the flood victims on August 15 and initiated the process to hand over cheques of compensation.
     

  • ‘Will stir if demands not met’: Farmer leaders to meet Punjab government on May 10 over power cuts

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Unhappy over the recent power cuts, farmers in Punjab have been protested for lastfew days across the state.

    Now a meeting has been scheduled between the farmer union leaders and Punjab government on May 10 to work out a ‘solution’ and if demands not met then massive protest on May 17. Before that meeting farmers leaders will be going to Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh on May 4 to get justice for families of ‘martyred’ farmers.

    Senior Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader and BKU (Lakhowal)-Punjab general secretary Punjab Harinder Singh Lakhowal said that the state government has sent them a letter yesterday that they want to meet all the twenty two farmers unions leaders of the SKM on May 10 and the meeting will be held at Chandigarh as it will be chaired by Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh.

    Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) CMD Baldev Singh Sran and other officials will also be present. “We will be attending this meeting with them. We have been demanding that uninterrupted power supply for at least eight hours for tube wells and twenty four hours supply for domestic connections as now as the paddy sowing has to start from May 20 and we want uninterrupted power supply. At present we getting two to three hours power supply for our tube wells and eight to ten hours power cuts in villages,” he said.

    He said that for last five years thousands power connections for tube wells are pending as the farmers have given their applications have paid money as security deposit to PSPCL and also demand notices were issued but till date no connections have been given so these connections should be realised with immediate effect.

    “Also the fees charges for increasing load of tube well motors should be reduced from Rs 4,700 per horse power to Rs 1,200 per horse power as earlier it was Rs 1,200 only and then increased, thus farmers will then apply to increase the power load of the motors installed by them,” said Lakhowal.

    He also demanded that PSPCL should carry out regular maintenance of power lines and increase load of transformers to give uninterrupted power supply and recruit staff as there is staff shortage in the power corporation.

    “We have been raising these issues with the PSPCL every year but they have been saying that they will talk to the government thus all our issues were always put on the back burner as no decision was taken. This time we told them that the power minister and government officials also be present in the meeting sothat decisions could be taken at the earliest,” said Lakhowal.

    He said the SKM delegation met Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on April 17 and then he had assured the union leaders that a bonus would be given on low yield of wheat and power supply would be ensured. He added that Mann had also assured to provide MSP on ‘moongi’, maize and basmati.

    “If our demands regarding power supply and MSP are not  fulfilled by the state government then the SKM will stage a massive protest on May 17 at Chandigarh,” he said. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will leave for Lakhimpur Kheri on May 4 from the state.

    “The members of the SKM from other states Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan would also reach Lakhimpur and will meet the families of victim farmers. On May 5, they will hold a meeting with the Lakhimpur Kheri administration and seek justice for the families of the ‘martyred’ farmers,” he said.

  • Punjab elections: BJP manifesto promises to waive debt of farmers, grant aid for landless

    By ANI

    CHANDIGARH: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto for the Punjab Assembly polls on Tuesday, promising to entirely waive off the debt of all farmers with less than five acres of land-holdings in the state.

    Besides, the party also promised ‘Mehnat Da Pakka Mull’ under which the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmers growing fruits, vegetables, pulses, and oilseeds will be guaranteed as part of the Central Governments MSP extension programme.

    For sustaining crop diversification and making it more rewarding, the alliance promised a dedicated annual budget of Rs 5,000 crore for agriculture.

    As per an official statement from the BJP, Union Minister and BJP in-charge for Punjab Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with Shiromani Akali Dal-Sanyukt leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and BJP state general secretary Subash Sharma, said that this was a futuristic manifesto that is set to revolutionise the rural and agricultural economy in Punjab.

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    The BJP is fighting the Assembly polls in alliance with former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt).

    The alliance promised that one lakh acres of ‘Shamlat Land’ in the state will be allocated to rural landless farmers for cultivation. Besides, every landless farmer in the state would be given an annual financial assistance of Rs 6,000 under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sanman Yojana.

    For ‘Sustainable Green Revolution’, the manifesto promised an annual budget of Rs 5,000 crore to support Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Farming in the state.

    For special emphasis to protect Punjab’s depleting water table, free of cost rainwater harvesting units will be installed. Subsidy will be given for alternative automated and smart irrigation systems, which will help in water conservation. The irrigation department will be investigated for corruption and the corrupt officials will be brought to justice.

    To promote dairy farming, an organised milk marketing system shall be developed by establishing milk chilling centres in every village and milk processing units in a cluster of every 30 villages. Veterinary aid centres, artificial insemination and breeding centres will be established in every tehsil.

    It promised that subsidies and loans will be provided to women and those belonging to Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Economically Weaker Sections to start businesses in Dairy Farming, Poultry Farming and Beekeeping.

    The manifesto promised subsidies to agro-based industries under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme. Tax Exempted agro-based Industrial Clusters comprising small and medium enterprises shall be formed to attract investment in rural areas. Mega Food Processing Parks will be established also.

    CLICK HERE FOR COVERAGE ON PUNJAB ELECTIONS

    To promote rural entrepreneurship, the ‘Samriddh-Pind’ scheme will be launched and funds will be allocated annually to promote rural startups. To promote MSMEs, interest and collateral-free loans will be given to the rural youth with an easy payback mechanism.

    To improve the healthcare system in villages, under the ‘Healthy Villages’ scheme, each village will have Aarogya Kendras (clinics) with 24×7 doctor facility and laboratory, in which all kinds of tests can be done.

    Availability of ‘108 ambulance’ service will be ensured in all rural areas within 15 minutes. Permanent drivers will be recruited to achieve this endeavour.

    Under the ‘Pakki Chhatt – Har Ik Da Haqq’ (Housing for All) scheme permanent houses will be provided to all economically weaker sections of the society. Under ‘Har Ghar Jal’, clean and safe piped drinking water facilities will be provided to every household.

    All villages will have a 24×7 power supply. The government will provide free electricity up to 300 units to each household and above it, the electricity tariff will be Rs 3 per unit for domestic purposes.

    High-quality smart schools will be set up in the villages with modern classrooms, computer labs and playgrounds. Annual stipend will be given to EWS and handicapped students and all girls belonging to Scheduled Caste till 10th class.

    To promote sports in rural areas, playgrounds will be developed at the village level to encourage youngsters to participate in sports. To promote sportsmanship from the school level, sports kits will be given free of cost to all the registered sports clubs and government schools.

    The BJP said that world-class facilities will be provided for grooming international level hockey players. Kabaddi will be encouraged through rural tournaments. The amount of cash rewards given to medal winners in the important International and National Games will be revised on the lines of Haryana.

    Gold Medal winners in Olympics/Paralympics will get Rs 6 crores each, silver medalists Rs 4 crores each, bronze medalists Rs 2.5 crores each and those participating in these events will get Rs 15 lakhs each. Anyone qualifying for these games will get at least Rs 15 lakhs.

    For the Asian/ Para Asian Games, it will be Rs 3 crores, Rs 1.5 crores, Rs 75 lakhs and 7.5 lakhs for gold, silver, bronze medal and participation respectively. For Commonwealth Games/ Para Commonwealth, it will be Rs 1.5 crores, Rs 75 Lakhs, Rs 50 Lakhs and Rs 7.5 Lakhs for gold, silver, bronze medals and participation respectively.

    For World Cup/Para World Cup events held once in 4 years, the prize money will be Rs 1.5 Crores, Rs 75 Lakhs, Rs 50 Lakhs and Rs 7.5 Lakhs for gold, silver, bronze medals and participation respectively.

    For National Games/ Para National Games the prize money for gold, silver and bronze medals will be 5 Lakhs 3 Lakhs 2 Lakhs respectively, while for the State Level Games it will be Rs 21,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively for the gold, silver and bronze medals.

    Punjab will go to the polls on February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10. In the 2017 Assembly polls in the state, Congress won an absolute majority by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government which had been in power for 10 years.

  • Do not upset farmers of Punjab, a border state: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar’s advise to Centre

    By PTI

    PUNE: Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the Union government should handle the ongoing agitation against new farm laws with sensitivity, keeping in mind that majority of protesters are from Punjab, a border state.

    The country has paid the price of upsetting Punjab in the past, he said, referring to former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination during Khalistan militancy.

    Speaking to reporters at Pimpri near here, Pawar, who has handled defense and agriculture portfolios at the Centre, was replying to a question about the farmers’ agitation on Delhi borders which has been going on for several months.

    “I have been there (to the protest site) two-three times. The Union government’s stand does not seem rational,” he said.

    “Participants in the agitation are from many states including Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, but most of them are from Punjab, Pawar noted.

    “My advise to the Union government is, do not let farmers of Punjab get upset, it is a border state. If we upset the farmers and people from border regions, then there will be other ramifications,” he said.

    “Our country has paid the price of upsetting Punjab, even (then prime minister) Indira Gandhi lost her life. On the other hand, farmers of Punjab, irrespective of whether they are Sikh or Hindu, have contributed to food supply,” the NCP chief said.

    People living in border areas face several security-related issues which those living in states such as Maharashtra do not experience, he said.

    “Therefore, when a person who is making sacrifices is siting in protest with some demands for a long time, paying attention to him is what the nation requires,” Pawar added.

  • BSF’s new powers irk Punjab villages along Pak border

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Like political parties, villagers  from the border areas in Punjab too are up in arms against the Centre’s decision extend jurisdiction of the Border Security Force. Some 21,600 acres of farmland in 220 villages is between the barbed wire fence and the zero line at the India-Pakistan border – spread across the six border districts of Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Ferozepur and Fazilka of the state.

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    For the BJP, it can augur trouble in the poll-bound state which is already at the forefront of the protest against the three central agriculture laws. The opposition parties have already taken the lead to cash in the issue. Angry villagers have threatened to contest legally the Centre’s decision.  Among the other plans is burning the effigies of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

    Punjab Border Kisan Welfare Society vice-president Surjit Singh Bhura said the move would mean more cases of unnecessary harassment of people living in villages and towns in the border areas by the BSF. 

    “They are already hampering day-to-day activities of people here, when we go to fields across the intentional fence.  If the state government fails to challenge this directive of the Centre either in court or otherwise, we would be forced to do it ourselves,” he added.

    About 12,000 farmers of 220 villages on the India-Pak border who have 21,600 acres of land are facing trouble to cultivate their lands, he claimed. Some of the common complaints against the BSF personnel is regular frisking of farmers and labourers. 

    ALSO READ | Row over extending BSF jurisdiction escalates, Oppn parties flay Centre

    Naseeb Singh, a farmer who has land ahead of the border fence in Ferozepur,  claimed the  Centre’s decision was in retaliation against the farmers’ agitation. “We have been targeted for our active involvement in the farm agitation,’’ he added.

    Another local,  Gurdeep Singh of Gurdaspur, too felt it was a vindictive decision against them. “Earlier, the  BSF had spread misinformation that bonded labourers wer eworking in our fields. It is a move by the government to weaken our agitation and use the security force to score political points.’’

    Badal wants unity against centreFive-time former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called upon all political parties in the state to stop fighting among themselves and wage a united fight against Centre’s move to  turn Punjab into a Union Territory through the back door by handing it over to the central security forces like the BSF

  • Video claiming Punjab regiment jawans protesting with farmers is fake: Indian Army

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Army on Sunday clarified that the video circulating on social media showing army personnel standing with civilians under a tent saying that Punjab regiment soldiers are protesting with farmers was fake.

    The Army officials further clarified that the ex-servicemen of the unit had arranged tea for the serving personnel while they were moving from one location to another.

    “A video is circulating on social media showing Indian Army jawans standing with civilians under a tent saying that Punjab regiment soldiers are protesting with some farmers. This is fake news,” an army official said.

    “Ex-servicemen of the unit had arranged tea for the serving personnel while they were moving from one location to another,” he added.

    Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

    Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains. 

  • Farmers break barricades, face water cannons in Punjab, Haryana during protest

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Farmers broke police barricades and faced water cannons, including near Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s house in Karnal, as they laid siege on residences of legislators and ministers in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday to protest the delay in commencement of paddy crop procurement.

    The Centre on Thursday had postponed procurement of kharif paddy in Punjab and Haryana, which usually begins on October 1, to October 11 as the crop maturity is delayed and moisture content in fresh arrival is beyond permissible limits owing to recent heavy rains.

    In Karnal, the Haryana Police used water cannons to disperse protesting farmers after they tried to lay siege on Khattar’s residence, while in Shahabad and Panchkula, the agitators used tractors to break police barricades to reach houses of BJP leaders, including Haryana Minister Sandeep Singh, officials said.

    The situation became tense in a few places in Haryana and Punjab after minor clashes broke out between farmers and police.

    In several places in these states farmers after reaching residences of ministers, legislators and MPs, parked their food grain-laden trolleys in front of their houses.

    While the BJP in alliance with the JJP is in power in Haryana, the Congress is the ruling party in Punjab, and both state governments have urged the Centre to ensure farmers do not face any problem in paddy procurement.

    In Punjab, farmers gathered outside the residences of several Congress legislators, including state assembly Speaker Rana K P Singh in Rupnagar and MLA Harjot Kamal in Moga, and staged protests over the delay in purchase of paddy crop.

    While Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ask government agencies to begin paddy procurement, Khattar along with Haryana Agriculture Minister J P Dalal rushed to Delhi on Saturday to ensure farmers do not face any problems in crop procurement.

    The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions, on Friday had given a call for holding protests outside the residences of legislators in Punjab and Haryana to register their protest.

    Police said that there was no report of any “major” untoward incident from the two states.

    The procurement operation is undertaken by the central government’s nodal agency Food Corporation of India (FCI) along with state agencies.

    Haryana Minister Anil Vij on Saturday said the farmers’ agitation is getting “violent day by day”.

    “Farmers’ agitation is getting violent day by day. Violent movement in the country of Mahatma Gandhi cannot be allowed,” said Vij in a tweet.

    Police personnel were deployed in strength to maintain law and order, the officials said. Farmers expressed apprehension that they would suffer if their crop is not purchased at the grain markets.

    Paddy crop, though in small quantity, has started arriving in mandis (markets) especially in border areas of Punjab, farmers said.

    They said the farmers who have brought their crop at mandis, will go if their crop is not purchased.

    Some fear that they would be forced to sell crops below the minimum support price to private traders.

  • Farmers hold protests across Punjab, Haryana over delay in paddy procurement

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Farmers in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday held protests at many places against postponing of paddy procurement.

    The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Friday had given a call for holding protests outside the residences of legislators in both states to register their protest over the delay in purchasing paddy crop.

    The Centre on Thursday postponed procurement of kharif paddy in Punjab and Haryana till October 11 as the crop maturity is delayed and moisture content in fresh arrival is beyond permissible limits owing to recent heavy rains.

    The procurement operation is undertaken by the central government’s nodal agency Food Corporation of India (FCI) along with state agencies. Paddy procurement usually commences from October 1.

    Meanwhile, Haryana minister Anil Vij on Saturday said the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s new laws is getting “violent day by day”.

    “Farmers’ agitation is getting violent day by day. Violent movement in the country of Mahatma Gandhi cannot be allowed”, said Vij in a tweet.

    Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the Centre to start purchase of paddy crop.

    “The farmers of Punjab are upset, the central government has postponed the purchase of paddy for 10 days, farmer is standing outside the mandis carrying lakhs of quintals of paddy on his tractor,” said Kejriwal in a tweet.

    In Punjab, farmers gathered outside the residences of several Congress legislators, including Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana K P Singh in Rupnagar and MLA Harjot Kamal in Moga and staged protests over delay in the purchase of paddy crop.

    Police personnel were deployed in strength to maintain law and order, said officials.

    Farmers expressed apprehension that they would suffer if their crop is not purchased at the grain markets. Paddy crop, though in small quantity, has started arriving in mandis especially in border areas of Punjab, said farmers.

    They questioned where the farmers, who have brought their crop at mandis, will go if their produce is not purchased. Some fear that they would be forced to sell their crop below the minimum support price (MSP) to private traders.

    A farmer in Haryana’s Karnal said his paddy crop will get damaged by October 11 when the Centre would start procuring it. At some places, farmers even handed over memorandum to the Deputy Commissioners demanding commencement of paddy purchase.

    In Haryana’s Ambala, police put up barricades to prevent farmers from laying siege to the residence of BJP legislator Aseem Goel. A fire fighting vehicle and a water cannon vehicle were also deployed outside the residence of the MLA.

    Tight security arrangement has been made outside the residence of Minister Vij at Ambala Cantonment, said officials.

  • Sad at not being able to hand over job letters to kin of 150 deceased farmers: Ex-Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: A day after he resigned as the chief minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh on Sunday said he was sad that he would not hand over appointment letters to the families of 150 farmers “who had lost their lives” in the ongoing agitation against farm laws even though the government led by him had approved it.

    He said he was sad that the scheduled event to disburse the appointment letters had to be cancelled and hoped that Charanjit Singh Channi, who the Congress picked on Sunday as the next chief minister, will carry out the task at the earliest to provide relief to the affected families.

    According to a statement, Singh urged the CM-designate to ensure that the state government continues to stand with the beleaguered farmers of Punjab “who have sacrificed their lives in our collective fight for justice”.

    Singh made it clear that he would continue to support the farmers “in their battle for survival and justice”.

    “Every Punjabi, in fact every Indian, is morally bound to stand with the farmers in their hour of despair,” he said, asserting that even though he was no longer holding the state’s reins, his heart remained with the farmers and their families and he would do everything in his power to ensure that they get their due.

    According to the statement, Singh, whose government had also released over Rs 14 crore as compensation to the next of kin of 298 deceased farmers, said he would not allow the sacrifices of India’s ‘annadaatas’ to go waste.

    “It is the responsibility of every government and political dispensation, be it in Punjab or any other state, as well as the Centre, to ensure that the farmers get their due,” he said.

    Singh resigned as the chief minister of Punjab with less than five months to go for the Assembly polls after a bruising power struggle with state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, and had said that he felt “humiliated” over the way the party handled the protracted crisis.

  • Punjab farmers call all-party meet on polls

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: In Punjab, angry farmers are in no mood to let political parties do campaigning for election in villages across the state, saying campaigning now, months before elections, only serves to divert public attention away from farmers’ protests. The farmers’ unions have on Wednesday decided to meet representatives of all the political parties, excluding the BJP, on Friday (September 10) to listen to their viewpoint on farmer’s issues.

    Confirming the meeting, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, the General Secretary of BKU(Lakhowal), Punjab told TNIE, “the farmers unions have called a meeting of representatives of all political parties fighting the Punjab elections. But representatives from the BJP are not invited for Friday’s meeting to be held in Chandigarh. We will talk to them and ask for their views, and then, accordingly decide. As of now, it is too early to do poll campaigning, it will dent the farmers’ movement against the Centre’s three farm laws. 

    ALSO READ | Punjab parties reach out to farmers to stop entry ban in villages

    This decision was taken as the Shiromani Akali Dal wrote a letter to all unions asking them for a date and time to meet to explain their side of the story. “Also, it was decided in the meeting that from September 12 onwards,  more farmers will be sent to both Singhu and Tikri borders,’’ he said.

    Sources said that the farmers are in no mood to allow the political parties to camping for the upcoming polls in the rural areas till the Election Commission officially declares the code of conduct in the state. “Why political parties are campaigning so many months in advance? Earlier,  they used to start campaigning just before the polls. Why is there a sudden change? Are they afraid,” said a farmer leader.

    The farmer’ unions said they have told all political parties, especially the BJP, that they are not welcome to villages till the Centre repeals the three farm laws and brings in a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for every crop. In more than 200 villages across the state, most of them in the Malwa region, the local units of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha have banned the entry of politicians.