Chandigarh, Oct 24 (PTI) Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Thursday said farmers will resort to a road blockade at a few places in Punjab for an indefinite period from October 26 to protest against the “tardy” paddy procurement and other issues.
Pandher said the “chakka jam” for an indefinite period will be held at one place each in Sangrur and Moga districts and at Phagwara and Batala.
He told reporters here that the farmers will protest against the “tardy” paddy procurement and lifting, the DAP fertiliser supplies not being adequate, besides over the stubble-burning issue.
He said “red entries” have been made in the farm records of farmers burning stubble and cases slapped on them.
“These four points will be blocked for an indefinite period. We can block entire Punjab, but we still want to give time to the government…. Otherwise we will be forced to fight a do-or-die battle,” the farmer leader said.
Pandher, who was talking to reporters here, during which some leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) were also present, blamed the Punjab government as well as the BJP-led Centre for the farmers’ plight.
Paddy lifting from “mandis” (wholesale markets) in Punjab is hit after the state rice millers refused to mill the paddy till their demands were met.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday, urging him to address the issues of the state’s rice millers.
While the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab has blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre for not evacuating the foodgrain stock in the state to create sufficient space for storing fresh crop, the opposition Congress and Akali Dal have slammed the Mann government for the slow paddy procurement and lifting.
Hitting out at the AAP, Pandher said neither Arvind Kejriwal nor any of his leaders are speaking out over the farmers’ plight.
“When Kejriwal was arrested (earlier this year), all the Punjab AAP MLAs went to Delhi to express solidarity. Can’t they march now for the sake of farmers?” he asked. PTI SUN RC
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