FARMERS HOLD PROTEST OUTSIDE BANK BRANCHES

BATHINDA : Farmers under the banner of BKU (Ekta-ugrahan) protested outside the branches of Punjab National Bank (PNB) at Rampura Phul, Maur, Goniana, Talwandi Sabo and Sangat demanding return of blank cheques given lieu of agricultural loan.

District president of union Shingara Singh Mann said that PNB being the lead bank of state has filed an affidavit in Punjab and Haryana high court that blank cheques of farmers having land up to 5 acres or farm loan up to ₹10 lakh will be returned but it is not being implemented.

He said protests will be held outside other banks too if the practice was not stopped immediately.

Meanwhile, farmers under the banner of BKU (Ekta-sidhupur) held a protest outside the district administrative complex demanding implementation of Swaminathan Commission report.

They demanded debt waiver for all farmers as promised by the Congress before the state assembly elections, and permission to sow paddy in first week of June instead of June 20. CHANDIGARH: To voice their dissent against Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya, who joined the Congress on Tuesday in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi after quitting the Akali Dal, former ministers and MLAS from Ferozepur Lok Sabha seat met CM Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday.

Former MLAS Hans Raj Joshan and Mohinder Singh Rinwa along with party leader Anish Sidana told the CM that fielding Ghubaya will boomerang. “When in the SAD, Ghubaya slapped false cases on Congressmen. The Rai Sikh vote, the community of Ghubaya, is only 3 lakh of 13.5 lakh voters. It will not be a winning proposition ,” they told the CM.