Members of Bharatiya Kisan Union sitting at the Mahapadav.
– Photo: Amar Ujala
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Bharatiya Kisan Union (Apolitical) protested at the Sugarcane Institute on Monday. The problems of the farmers were raised through a Mahapanchayat. They tried to go to the Chief Minister’s residence. When the police stopped them, they sat on a dharna on the road itself. After some time, talks were held with the Sugarcane Commissioner. The Mahapanchayat ended on the assurance of holding a meeting under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary on July 31 and calling the officials of the concerned department on the spot to resolve the problem.
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The officials of BKU started reaching the Sugarcane Institute from the morning itself. By around 12 noon, a convoy of tractors, buses and other vehicles arrived. The leaders associated with the union started a Mahapanchayat in front of the Sugarcane Commissioner’s office. They accused the government of breaking promises and the officials of the Sugarcane, Agriculture, and Electricity departments of exploiting the farmers. The ADM reached the spot at around three in the afternoon and took the memorandum, but the farmers did not agree. They left for the Chief Minister’s residence at five in the evening. As soon as they reached outside the Institute premises, the police stopped them. The farmers sat on a dharna on the road.
There was also a clash between the police and the farmers. However, later the farmers agreed and came and sat in front of the Sugarcane Commissioner’s office. Late in the evening, Sugarcane Commissioner Prabhu N Singh called the farmers’ delegation for talks. He assured that the payment for sugarcane will be made soon. In other matters, a meeting will be held on July 31 under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, in which talks will be held with the delegation of BKU along with the officials of agriculture and other related departments. Union’s National President Rajesh Singh Chauhan, State President Harinam Singh, Dharmendra Malik, Digambar Singh, Mahendra Randhawa, Ummed Singh, Udham Singh, Jagpal Singh etc. were present in the Mahapanchayat.
These are the main demands
In the memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, demands were made for payment of sugarcane price, interest in case of non-payment within 14 days, no pressure for potato withdrawal, fixing potato storage rent at the state level, providing financial assistance to farmers of flood-affected areas and discount on loan interest, getting animals vaccinated, providing the benefit of free electricity scheme to all farmers, getting compensation for farmers from the authorities as soon as possible, etc.
Resentment grew as a result of being stopped at various locations
Farmers from different districts are coming to the Sugarcane Institute. In the afternoon, some farmers passed in front of the Vidhan Sabha. During this, the police stopped them. During the Mahapanchayat, the farmers alleged that the farmers coming to the Mahapanchayat have been stopped in different districts as well.
