Hoshiarpur, Farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha on Monday launched a five-day sit-in outside the office of Punjab Cabinet Minister Ravjot Singh here, warning of intensifying their agitation if the state government fails to hold talks on their demands.
He warned that the organisations could resort to larger forms of agitation, including blocking railway tracks and highways, if the government continued to ignore their demands. He claimed that the power shortage was affecting both farmers and industry. The protesters demanded that the Punjab government ensure procurement of basmati, maize, moong, mustard and potatoes at minimum support prices .
BKU Doaba state president Manjit Singh Rai, while addressing a gathering, said that farmer organisations have already submitted memorandums to deputy commissioners across Punjab and are now holding five-day protests outside the offices and residences of ministers to press the government to hold talks. “If the government refuses to hold talks, we will convene a meeting on September 16 to decide our next course of action,” Rai said. He said the state government would be responsible for any inconvenience caused to the public if such action was taken. He also criticised the state government over coal “shortage”, alleging that claims made by the chief minister about adequate coal availability had proved false. They demanded an effective policy to tackle floods, depletion of groundwater and air and water pollution, besides distribution of river waters according to the riparian principle.
