Farmers Movement Archive

PPCC president Jakhar, Congress workers protest rising fuel prices

Nawanshahr, June 29Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president and former MP Sunil Jakhar on Monday said the Central Government had proved that it was a government of moneylenders, for moneylenders and by moneylenders and it had completely forgotten the ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ slogan.Jakhar, along with MLAs Angad Singh and Darshan Lal Mangupur, Punjab Youth Congress president Barindar Singh Dhillon, District Planning Committee Chairman Satbir Singh Palli Jhikki, former MLA Tarlochan Singh Soondh and other leaders pulled the tractor with a rope from the ITI to the DC office to protest against the rising fuel prices.The PPCC chief said those who claimed to double the farmers’ income and implement the Swaminathan report had retracted from their earlier statement. Jakhar said farmers suffered a lot due to the coronavirus as most of the labourers had returned to their home states and the cost of sowing paddy increased by Rs 2,000 per acre.He said the farmers faced a double whammy due to the rising fuel prices.“When the crude oil was priced at $ 104, the price of diesel was Rs 63 during the time of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Now, when the crude oil price has fallen to $40, the price of diesel has increased to Rs 80 per litre,” Jakhar alleged, adding that the farmers were being made a fool by the NDA government.“I have not come to do any drama by pulling the tractor as a cart due to the skyrocketing prices of diesel. In Punjab, when freight vehicles were taxed, farmers used tractors. But now they can’t even use tractors due to the rising prices of diesel,” Jakhar alleged.As for the statement of Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar that the MSP would stay despite ordinances, he said the real question was whether the government would procure or not. He said the maize farmers were getting Rs 400 or Rs 600 per quintal in the markets despite Rs 1850 fixed as the MSP by it.He said the Congress always stood for the soldiers and farmers of the country and it would continue to protest against the anti-people policies of the government. Later, he handed over a memorandum to the administration addressed to the Union Government for seeking a reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel and the withdrawal of agriculture ordinances.Jalandhar: In Jalandhar, Congress MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh and MLAs Rajinder Beri, Pargat Singh and Bawa Henry led the protest against the rising fuel prices. The Congress leaders and workers sat on a silent dharna in front of the DC office for two hours. They maintained social distance and were wearing masks. No speeches were made but the leaders gave bytes to mediapersons.

The Tribune

2020-06-30