Farmers Movement Archive

Paddy procurement: Farmers gherao residences of top politicians, DC offices in Punjab and Haryana

BATHINDA/PATIALA/AMBALA: Hours before the Centre reviewed its order on paddy procurement in Punjab and Haryana, scores of farmers from both the states gheraoed several DC offices and residences of MLAs and ministers on Saturday morning in a bid to pressurise the two state governments to start the process at the earliest. The Centre on Thursday had deferred procurement of kharif paddy in Punjab and Haryana, which usually begins on October 1, to October 11 as the crop maturity is delayed and moisture content in fresh arrival is beyond permissible limits owing to recent heavy rains. In Haryana, violent clashes were reported in Panchkula and Karnal. Enraged farmers surrounded Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s at Prem Nagar in Karnal and even pitched a tent outside. Hundreds of farmers and labourers from various parts of Karnal district had gathered at the new grain market in Karnal. After holding a meeting there, led by BKU (Charuni) district president Jagdeep Singh Aulakh, they started their march in paddy-laden tractor-trailers and other vehicles towards the Haryana CM’s residence. The police, however, tried to stop them by barricading and using mild water cannons on the crowd, but farmers broke the barricades even as a heavy police force including paramilitary was also deployed at the CM residence to deal with any law and order situation. Elsewhere in Haryana, residences of several BJP and JJP leaders were gheraod. There was a serious law and order situation in Sirsa, as farmers broke barricades outside MP Sunita Duggal’s residence and staged a dharna. However, the situation was brought under control after senior police officials reached the spot. Later, the farmers organised a langar outside the MP’s residence. In neighbouring Hisar, the farmers submitted a memorandum to MLA Kamal Gupta, while in Fatehabad, MLA Dura Ram’s house was gheraod. In Ambala, the farmers started a march from the new grain market and proceeded with paddy-laden tractortrolleys towards the residence of BJP’s Ambala MLA Aseem Goel. According to sources, several police barricades were broken near the MLAs residence, but later the farmers sat on a peaceful protest outside the house. In Kurukshetra’s Shahabad-Markanda town, farmers assembled near the residences of Haryana sports and youth affairs minister Sandeep Singh and JJP’s Shahabad MLA Ram Karan Kala and staged protests. In Yamunanagar’s Jagadhri city, they staged a protest near the house of Haryana education minister Kanwar Pal. Heavy police forces were deputed by the concerned district administrations at all protest sites to protect the residences of the ruling party leaders in Haryana. In Punjab’s Patiala and Bathinda, farmers handed over memorandums to the respective deputy commissioners, and demanded paddy procurement from Monday. The protesting farmers also warned that if the deadline is missed, they will sit on an indefinite strike in front of DC offices across the state. In Patiala, a group of farmers also staged protests near the houses of MLAs Brahm Mohindra and Rajinder Singh. Interestingly, both Punjab and Haryana chief ministers claimed credit for the Centre’s decision to start procurement from Sunday. Khattar, who along with deputy CM Dushyant Chautala and agriculture minister Jai Parkash Dalal, met Union minister of state for consumer affairs, food and public distribution Ashwini Kumar Choubey in New Delhi on Saturday said the Centre had agreed to his delegation’s request of starting procurement from October 3 as most of the grain had already reached the mandis. “I am happy that he accepted our request,” he said. Similarly, the statement from the office of Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who had raised the issue of kharif procurement during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, said the Centre had ‘acceded’ to the CM’s request. “Expressing gratitude to PM Modi for his immediate personal intervention in this regard,” Channi said this decision would be instrumental in ensuring smooth and hassle-free procurement of paddy to the satisfaction of the farmers. BKU Charuni national president Gurnam Singh Charuni termed the protest as a victory of farmers, saying, “Once again, a big victory for the farmers, assurance given to start paddy procurement from tomorrow (October 3) after gherao of MLAs and MPs in Haryana and Punjab. Thanks to farmer associates and if the government does not start procurement by tomorrow, then roads will be blocked on Monday.”

The Times of India

2021-10-03

Amritsar