Punjab farmers demand full relief
demanding loan waiver in Punjab on Monday staged protests across the state, putting pressure on the government to speed up the process of finalising the waiver plan.
A committee led by T Haque — former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices — which was formed by the government after coming to power is working on the plan and has invited farmer unions on June 15 to share their views on the issue . The panel will submit its report on June 17 before the state budget on June 20.
“We want a complete waiver ,” said Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Balbir Singh Rajewal. “Our course of action will follow the government’s announcement,” he added.
The cash-strapped Punjab government is under an estimated debt of ~2 crore. “We will do something for them within our means,” a state functionary said.
Farmers also demanded implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report to fix minimum support price for their produce. The protesters were joined by Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP workers, with SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal leading demonstrations at Ludhiana.
As many as 10 lakh farmers of the state owe ~90,000 crore to the government as on March 31, 2016.
The uneven debt pattern is a worry for the government.
A top official said that 5.71 lakh farmers, who own up to 2.5 acres, owe an aggregate debt of ~9,845 crore. Of them, 35,000 farmers owe ~4,500 crore, which means each owes ~13 lakh.
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and firebrand Patidar leader Hardik Patel will visit Mandsaur on Tuesday to meet the families of six farmers who were killed in police firing at Pipliyamandi on June 6. Their arrival is expected to rankle the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government that has been on the backfoot over the incident.
Scindia and Patel will enter Madhya Pradesh through different routes.
Scindia’s visit will the second high-profile visit by a Congress leader after the killings. AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi had attempted to enter Mandsaur on June 8 but he was stopped as the curfew was on.
As of now, only prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC are in place. Scindia will be going by road and will pass through Ujjain, Nagda and Jaora to reach Mandsaur.
Scindia, who reached Indore on Monday evening, first visited MY Hospital to meet all those injured in the firing and lathicharge during the 10-day agitation in Mandsaur.
Addressing the media, Scindia said the firing in Mandsaur was a ‘blot’ on the state government.
He said he met the injured and their narration of how they were shot horrified him. “In the land of Gandhi, farmers were shot in their head and stomach with an intention to kill them. Their bodies were dragged and money and mobiles taken away,” Scindia alleged.
Criticising the chief minister’s fast, Scindia said it was a farce.
Meanwhile, talking to HT over phone, Hardik said he will be entering the state through Nayagaon in the adjoining Neemuch district, which borders Rajasthan.
Asked if he is stopped by the administration, Patel said he did not expect so as he was not from a political party .