SAD to hold protest in Bathinda on Oct 3 to support farmers
SEKHPURA (BATHINDA): Notwithstanding the call of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders to all political parties to suspend public programmes in Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday announced a mega protest rally in Bathinda on October 3 in support of cotton growers.
After visiting several villages in Bathinda, Sukhbir on Saturday said the party demands immediate release of Rs 50,000 per acre compensation to farmers whose standing cotton crop was damaged to an infestation of pink bollworm. He said more than 80% of cotton crop has been damaged but the Punjab government has failed to sense the crisis faced by farmers.
He batted for a crop insurance scheme in Punjab to protect the interest of the agrarian community.
“Volume of infestation hints at large scale availability of spurious Bt cotton seeds. The Punjab government should order a probe on how the spurious seeds landed in the state. Rural economy is on the verge of collapse as cotton growers are left with no resources for the next crop,” he said, while demanding a compensation of Rs 15,000 each to farm labourers.
The call of protest on October 3 has a political significance amid a standoff between the SAD and farmer unions over holding political activities.
The event will be held after a month when SAD had to stop all political programmes after SKM activists created a ruckus at Sukhbir’s rally in Moga on September 3.
In the last few months, Sukhbir and Bathinda Lok Sabha MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal had to abandon their scheduled visits in villages due to strong opposition from the farmer unions. However, on Saturday, Sukhbir was able to make inroads in the rural areas without any resistance. He visited six villages of Bathinda and Mansa districts.