Pink bollworm attack: BKU Ugrahan to oppose Cong leaders in villages for not announcing relief

The step was taken after the Left-leaning union was unable to make the state government announce compensation of ₹60,000 per acre to the cotton growers whose crop was damaged in the pink bollworm attack

BKU (Ekta-Ughrahan) on Friday announced to not let Congress leadership hold political programmes in villages.

Pink bollworm has damaged cotton crop in South Punjab districts.

The step was taken after the Left-leaning union was unable to make the state government announce compensation of ₹60,000 per acre to the cotton growers whose crop was damaged in the pink bollworm attack.

BKU activists had laid siege to the Bathinda district administrative complex (DAC) on Monday after that the official work at the secretariat was completely paralysed for the next five days.

On Friday, union vice-president Jhanda Singh Jethuke announced to end a blockade of the secretariat.

He said it was decided that Congress leader would face gherao if she or he enters any village for political activities.

Jethuke charged the Congress government with being insensitive to their demand of compensation for the loss of cotton to the pest attack and damage done to paddy in the recent rain and hailstorm.

“Prior to a dharna in Bathinda, farmers from various districts staged a round-the-clock agitation for 15 days at Badal village in Muktsar. But the government has not taken any step to grant financial assistance,” said Jethuke.

Owing to the farmer agitation, public dealing at the secretariat was hit as the officials, including the inspector general of police, deputy commissioner and senior superintendent of police, were unable to step inside their offices.