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Farmers’ protest: Bathinda-Chd road blocked near Rampura; traffic diverted
The farmers under banner of seven different peasant unions blocked Bathinda-Chandigarh national highway at Dhurkot village near Rampura for around four hours on Wednesday.
The farmers under banner of seven different peasant unions blocked Bathinda-Chandigarh national highway at Dhurkot village near Rampura for around four hours on Wednesday.
The traffic was diverted to other linked routes causing inconvenience to the commuters. Though the police tried to restrict farmers using water cannon, the farmers managed to sit on road around 1pm.
The farmer bodies were demanding government to waive off their loans besides formulating a policy to put an end to farmer suicides.
The senior police officials held spot meetings with union leaders, but failed to budge farmers to call off their protest.
The farmers cleared the road around 4:30 pm and shifted their protest in front of village
gurdwara. Shingara Singh Mann, district president of Bhartiya Kisan Union (ekta ugarahan), said the farmers are fed up of anti-farmer policies of Punjab government and their repeated protest had failed to move state authorities.
“We will continue road block protest on Thursday at different location, which is yet to be decided. The police are threatening our leaders and members, and we are ready to face any situation in coming days,” Mann said.
Pakka Morcha shifted to Dhanaula
Farmers’ union activists shifted their “pakka morcha” (indefinite protest) site from gurdwara of Fatehgarh Chhanna village to Dhanaula in Barnala, blocking the national highway on Wednesday.
The farmers demanded a regular passage for Chandigarh and alleged that police were not letting them go there.
BKU district finance secretary Kuljeet Singh said, “District administration and police have restricted our movement but we have managed to reach Dhanaula and we will continue to block the main road till we are not allowed to proceed to Chandigarh.”
Regarding inconvenience to commuters, BKU block president Balaur Singh said, “We have no desire to cause disruption in traffic. Even our protest point is ‘Matka Chowk’ in Chandigarh. As police has been hindering our movement, we have sat on protest here.”
What are they demanding
Recalculation of debts.
Action against defaulter commission agents.
Rs 5 lakh and government job to next kin of farmers who have committed suicides
Withdrawal of Prevention of Damage To Public and Private Property Act.
Set minimum price of Rs 4,500 per quintal for basmati 1509 variety and Rs 5,000 for 1121.
Clearance of dues of sugarcane growers.
Ownership rights to small farmers.
Fresh survey related to farm suicide cases.
Control stray animals menace
