Farmers Movement Archive

Cotton farmers from 8 districts start indefinite stir in Bathinda

Farmers from eight districts, under the banner of the BKU Ekta Ugrahan, today gathered in large numbers in front of the Bathinda District Administrative Complex (DAC) to demand compensation for cotton crop lost to the pink bollworm attack this summer.Job letters given to 7 Mansa farmers’ kinChandigarh: Transport Minister Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday handed over appointment letters to the family members of seven farmers of Mansa who lost their lives during the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the farm laws. The minister said the government had escalated provision of financial assistance of Rs5 lakh to bereaved families besides providing a job to a member.The protesters gheraoed the complex, blocked all four gates and started an indefinite stir demanding a compensation of Rs 60,000 per acre and Rs 30,000 per family for farm labourers for the loss to cotton crop due to the attack.BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) leaders Jhanda Singh Jethuke, Shingara Singh Mann and Mothu Singh Kotra, who led the protesters, said the dharna was organised due to the administration’s lack of response to their demands. “We had staged a protest outside Finance Minister Manpreet Badal’s residence in Badal village but the state government has so far been unresponsive to our demands,” the leaders said.Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Arvinderpal Singh said the compensation would be given to farmers soon as per state government directions. “We are in touch with farmers and ready to arrange their meeting with the higher officials in Chandigarh,” he said. — TNS

The Tribune

2021-10-26

Bathinda