Demanding higher MSP, debt relief, BKU Ekta Ugrahan activists stage widespread protests

Union leaders said that the farming community is already facing problems, including mounting debt, rising input costs, inadequate crop prices and the agrarian crisis

Activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU Ekta Ugrahan) staged widespread protests across multiple districts on Monday in support of demands like debt relief and a higher minimum support price (MSP), gheraoing the offices of deputy commissioners in Bathinda and adjoining districts while launching similar demonstrations outside the DC’s residence in Sangrur and the administrative complex in Barnala.

Members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union during a protest on Monday. (HT Photo)

Senior vice-president of the state unit Jhanda Singh Jethuke said that the protesters will burn the effigy of chief minister Bhagwant Mann at night because the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government failed to redress the issues raised for the welfare of the agrarian community. In the day-long protest, women participated in large numbers.

Addressing the gathering in Bathinda, Jethuke said that the union had been raising 13 demands and had recently staged 16-day continuous protests outside DC offices across the state to draw the government’s attention to the issues. He said that despite the protests, the government had taken no concrete steps to address their demands.

Union leaders said that the farming community is already facing problems, including mounting debt, rising input costs, inadequate crop prices and the agrarian crisis.

They charged the Centre with entering into a free-trade agreement with the US that could harm the interests of farmers and small industries.

The union demanded that the government scrap negotiations for a duty-free trade agreement with the US and withdraw agreements being pursued with imperialist countries, keeping the interests of farmers, labourers and small industries in mind.

Meanwhile, members of the BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) also staged a protest outside the DC’s residence in Sangrur after first protesting outside the district administrative complex demanding cancellation of the India-US trade deal, MSP on all crops and other key issues.

A large number of union members blocked all the three gates of the administrative complex. Initially, the members protested outside the administrative complex, and later in the evening, some union members protested outside the DC’s residence. The members said they will conclude today’s dharna after burning the effigies of the Punjab government.

The leaders alleged that both the central and Punjab governments are implementing anti-farmer policies. They demanded the immediate cancellation of the tax-free agricultural trade agreement (India-US FTA) with the US.

State president of the union Joginder Singh Ugrahan condemned the central government’s “meagre increase” in wheat prices, stating that raising it by only ₹25 per quintal has made a fool of the farmers. A similar protest was held outside the administrative complex in Barnala.