Farmers Movement Archive

BKU to start stir against U.P. govt. from August 1

As the countdown to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has begun, the Bhartiya Kisan Union has decided to broaden the base of its ongoing stir against the Central farm laws at the Ghazipur border to raise farmers’ issues with the State government. It asked the Centre why Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was spared in the Cabinet reshuffle. At a press conference on Thursday, BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said the organisation would start a comprehensive movement against the State government from August 1. “Apart from the farm laws, we will also sensitise farmers on the increasing electricity rates and the pending sugarcane dues. In Haryana, the BJP government is selling electricity to farmers at Rs. 35 per horsepower, while in U.P. it is being sold at Rs. 175 per horsepower. Besides Rs. 8,500 crores in dues to the sugarcane farmers are still pending,” said Mr. Tikait. He said at a time when the MSP of wheat was Rs. 1,975 per quintal, the government collection centres were paying only Rs. 1,400 to farmers. “Now the same thing will happen with the paddy crop. That’s why we are demanding a law on MSP, but the deaf and dumb government is not responding,” he said. BKU general secretary Yudhvir Singh said that the organisation would lead the movement against the State government.

The Hindu

2021-07-09

Ghaziabad