Provide relief to state farmers on Punjab pattern, says Surjewala

KURUKSHETRA:All India Congress committee spokesperson and Kaithal MLA Randeep Surjewala on Saturday demanded relief for Haryana farmers on the pattern of neighbouring Punjab.

Surjewala, who was addressing a state-level ‘Kisan BahcahoMazdoor Bachao’ rally against the BJP government in Kurukshetra, said if voted to power, the Congress will ensure remunerative prices of all crops and steps will be taken to make farmers debt-free.

He accused the BJP at the Centre and state of turning back on their their promises of implementing Swaminathan commission. “The farmers are being forced to dispose of their produce at throwaway prices due to lack of government support, which has led to the increased number of suicides by the farmers”, Surjewala said and added, now the government has imposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) on pesticides, fertilizers and agriculture implements.

He advocated the demand of loan waiver for farmers and agriculture labourers and said, “The government is waiving off loans of rich industrialists but it has shown no concern about the farmers”. “If neighbouring Punjab can waive off loans of 22 lakh farmers, despite financial restrictions, why Haryana chief minister (CM) is hesitating”, Surjewala added.

Surjewala also slammed government for providing benefits to private companies under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’ and said the companies earned over ₹15000 crore as premium against the compensation of ₹6000 given to the farmers. He also said the BJP government is insulting common people by making regular raids at their residence in the name of power theft.

Former MLAs Bachan Singh Arya, Ramesh Gupta, Anil Dhantori, Phool Singh Kheri, Pawan Deewan and Radhesham Sharma, several other Congress leaders participated in the Dharna.