Jalandhar, Oct 26
These days, politics is in full swing over the issue of the non-purchase of paddy in 32 farmer organizations active in Punjab. Due to a lack of unity, farmer leaders are blocking the National Highway every day. On Friday, the Rajewal faction associated with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Political) staged a protest on the highways across the state from 11 am to 3 pm.
People kept getting troubled due to long traffic jams. The police also diverted the traffic, but still there were two to three-kilometer-long queues of vehicles at many places. People kept cursing the farmers who were adamant on ‘strike’. In Jalandhar, a doctor fell at the feet of the farmers and asked for permission, but they did not agree. An ambulance also got stuck in a jam in Jalandhar. At first the farmers did not give way, but when the patient’s condition deteriorated, they hurriedly gave way.
Even a dead body was not allowed to proceed for the last rites. In Bhogpur of Jalandhar district and Dasuha of Hoshiarpur district, farmers did not remove their protest on the Jalandhar-Jammu and Hoshiarpur-Jammu National Highway even after 3 o’clock. Due to the efforts of police and administration, farmers opened the road in Bhogpur at 6 pm and in Dasuha at 10 pm.
People stuck in the jam kept cursing the farmers. Rajewal faction staged protest on the highways in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Bathinda, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Fazilka, Rupnagar, Muktsar, Patiala, Sangrur, Kapurthala, Firozpur, Moga and Nawanshahr.
The public is trapped in the politics of unions.
The public is getting crushed in the politics of farmer unions. Even the state government is not understanding the pain of the people, rather it is adding fuel to the fire of mutual conflict among the farmers. Actually, there are 32 farmers organizations in the state. There is resentment because, ignoring them, the United Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Bharatiya Kisan Union call Ugrahan for talks.
Recently, when United Kisan Morcha (political) warned of starting an agitation, the CM called for talks. Farmer organizations are protesting to register their presence. The role of the Central Government in the matter of paddy procurement also does not seem correct.
Ten days ago, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had raised the issue of non-purchase of paddy with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, but no solution was found. There are heaps of paddy in the markets of Punjab. Due to no lifting there is no space to bring new goods. Currently only 25 percent of the grains have arrived. Only 12 to 14 percent lifting has taken place. Three trolleys full of paddy are standing in the house of Avtar Sandhu of Dadiana village of Fatehgarh Sahib. Have borrowed two trolleys from relatives. Now they are asking for a trolley. They also have to be taken to the paddy market.
‘God’ bowed before the food giver
Dr. Annadata, who is called ‘Lord of the Earth’, kept lying at his feet in front of the farmers on the National Highway in Paragpur, Jalandhar, but the farmers did not agree. The doctor who came from Mathura said that it is not right to bother like this.
Pandher group will protest today
Sarwan Singh Pandher of United Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) has announced to stage a dharna on the highways in Phagwara, Moga, Batala and Sangrur on Saturday. This Morcha is already on strike in Shambhu area of Amritsar-Delhi National Highway since February demanding guarantee of minimum support price on all crops.
Farmers will lock DC offices on 29th
Rajewal farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said that we had given four days to the government, but the problem was not resolved. Farmers are suffering financial loss due to the tussle between Punjab and Central Government. Farmers will lock all DC offices on October 29.
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