After Delhi, Punjab farmers gather on Chandigarh borders over demands

Chandigarh, May 17 (IANS) As the year-long protest against the Centre’s farm laws at the Delhi borders ended in November last year with the revoking of the three Central farm laws, hundreds of Punjab farmers on Tuesday gathered on the outskirts of the state capital demanding compensation of Rs 500 per quintal for those who suffered losses due to early onset of early summer.

Their other prominent demands include minimum support price for the purchase of maize, basmati, and moong (pulses) that the government has assured, ending staggered paddy cultivation from June 18, and that prepaid electricity meters not be installed.

They threatened to break the barricades set up on borders on Wednesday to march to the Chief Minister’s residence in Chandigarh if their demands are not met.

In the morning, tempers of the protesting farmers ran high as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann failed to meet leaders of 16-member Sanyukt Kisan Morcha over their demands and left for Delhi.

They refused to meet government functionaries deputed by the Chief Minister’s Office to hear their grievances.

“This scorching heat wave will not dampen the morale of farmers and they will not leave the protest sites at Chandigarh borders till their demands are fulfilled,” a protester said.

Farmer leaders said while the increasing heat wave is not posing a challenge as they have equipped themselves with all necessary facilities like coolers or provision of cold drinking water.

Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur) state President Jagjit Singh Dallewal told the media that they have a charter of 15 demands that comprise to allow the farmers to carry out early paddy transplantation from June 10 instead of June 18 as decided by the government.

He said though the minimum support price (MSP) on 23 crops was announced by the government, the farmers were getting it only on wheat and paddy.

“Farmer unions have two rounds of meeting with the government, but the government so far failed to address their demands. So we have been forced to start the protest from today,” he added.

However, there was no report of any untoward incident from the protest site. Emergency medical services were exempted from the blockade.

But traffic was hit badly as farmers and farm labourers and activists of political parties squatted at entry points.

Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira slammed Chief Minister Mann, saying he left for Delhi to meet his counterpart Arvind Kejriwal without addressing the farmers’ concerns.

“The way @BhagwantMann left the farmers in lurch and unattended by leaving for Delhi to meet @ArvindKejriwal it shows how much concern he has for the farmers of Punjab! It means all the AAP support to farmers agitation in Delhi was politically motivated and for political gains!” he tweeted. – IANS

Magisterial probe ordered into Mukhtar Ansari’s death

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a magisterial investigation into the death of Mukhtar Ansari. The inquiry will be conducted by a three-member team, said a government spokesman. Mukhtar Ansari's...

World should develop the concept of Green GDP: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India is making rapid advancements in the renewable energy sector, like solar, wind energy and green hydrogen, thus building 'Green GDP'...

AAP Delhi office took care of expenditure during Goa election 2022, says ED plea seeking further custody of Kejriwal

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its application for further custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case, said that a statement from an AAP...

Excise policy case: Delhi court extends CM Kejriwal’s ED custody till April 1

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday extended the ED custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till April 1. CM Kejriwal, whose alleged role in the excise policy scam is...

Delhi HC dismisses Cong pleas against income tax re-assessment

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday turned down the pleas of Congress challenging the initiation of income tax re-assessment proceedings for the fiscal years 2017-18 to 2020-21. The...

Ladakh agitation intensifies as protesters threaten march to border with China

Srinagar: The agitation in Ladakh UT intensified on Thursday after the Leh Apex Body and climate activist, Sonam Wangchuk announced a march to the border on April 7. Climate activist...

Not going to ED’s Delhi office today: Mahua Moitra

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress candidate from Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal, Mahua Moitra has said that she will not be going to Delhi to appear before the Enforcement Directorate...

TN MP Ganeshamurthi dies at Coimbatore hospital 4 days after ‘attempting suicide’

Chennai: MDMK MP from Tamil Nadu's Erode constituency, A. Ganeshamurthi died in a private hospital in Coimbatore early Thursday morning. Ganeshamurthi (76) was upset over being denied a ticket to...

India, China hold crucial meet to resolve issues along LAC

New Delhi: The 29th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs was held in Beijing to discuss and resolve the remaining issues along the...

Scare at Kolkata airport as collision between IndiGo, Air India Express aircraft narrowly averted

New Delhi: An IndiGo aircraft narrowly avoided a collision with an Air India Express aircraft at the runway of Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport airport on Wednesday, sending...

ED issues third summons to Mahua Moitra in FEMA violation case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a third summons to Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra for questioning in connection with a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violation case,...

Kejriwal’s orders: Delhi BJP delegation files complaint with Police Commissioner, seeks probe

New Delhi: A delegation from the Delhi BJP approached Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on Wednesday, urging for a thorough investigation into the letters allegedly dispatched by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal...

Read Previous

Turkey threatens to block Finland, Sweden NATO bids

Read Next

Delhi-NCR still hot but bearable on Tuesday

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com