Haryana: Arhtiyas to go on indefinite strike from Sept 19

Agitated over the Haryana government’s decision to trade basmati varieties on e-NAM portal, members of the Haryana Arhtiya Association on Friday announced an indefinite strike by stopping procurement from September 19

Agitated over the Haryana government’s decision to trade basmati varieties on e-NAM portal, members of the Haryana Arhtiya Association on Friday announced an indefinite strike by stopping procurement from September 19.

Agitated over the Haryana government’s decision to trade basmati varieties on e-NAM portal, members of the Haryana Arhtiya Association on Friday announced an indefinite strike by stopping procurement from September 19. (Image for representational purpose)

The decision was made in a state-level meeting of the members of the association at Karnal on Friday.

During the meeting, arhtiyas, most of whom are also rice traders, slammed the government for imposing a hefty levy of 6.5% on the purchase of paddy from the state mandis.

Haryana president of the arhtiyas’ association, Ashok Gupta, said they have decided to go on indefinite strike from September 19 as the government did not respond to their one-week ultimatum given during the Gohana meeting on September 10.

On the first day of strike, the arhtiyas will convene meetings in their respective grain markets and also protest against the policies of the government.

The next day, they will protest outside the residences of ministers and MLAs and hand over the memorandum of their demands, which also includes advancing procurement of parmal varieties by government agencies and 2.5% commission on the purchase of MSP instead of paying them only ₹46 per quintal.

“If we do not get any response from the government, the arhtiyas from across the state will protest on the third day at the CM’s residence in Karnal and the next decision will be made after a protest on September 21,” he added.

Meanwhile, hundreds of farmers on Friday staged a protest outside Karnal mini-secretariat, asking the government to advance the procurement operations from September 20.

The protesting farmers said that most of the crop was ready to harvest but the government had not announced any schedule for the procurement yet.

They threatened to intensify their agitation if the government did not start procurement by September 20.