Cane growers protest outside minister’s office

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, June 27

Sugarcane growers staged a demonstration under the banner of the All-India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) outside the office of Minister of State for Cooperatives Manish Grover here on Wednesday.

The protesting farmers, led by AIKS local unit president Preet Singh and general secretary Balwan Singh, demanded payment of their dues by the Department of Cooperatives. They raised slogans against the department and state government.

State AIKS vice-president Inderjit Singh said dues amounting to nearly Rs400 crore were pending towards sugarcane growers at cooperative sugar mills in the state, of which payment of about Rs100 crore was to be made to Rohtak farmers alone.

Addressing the protesters, Inderjit asked why the government should not be declared a defaulter as it had failed to make payment to sugarcane and mustard growers, due to which they were unable to repay their loans taken from banks.

He appealed to farmers to take part in the forthcoming nationwide agitation of peasants in August to demand reversal of anti-farmer policies.

The government functionaries present at the minister’s office tried to pacify the farmers by assuring that the payment would be made soon, but the protesters insisted on a specific date for making final payment.

Finally, officials talked to the minister over the phone and assured the farmers that their dues would be made in 15 days, following which the protesters dispersed.

Sugarfed cane adviser Roshan Lal Yadav and financial adviser Virander Dhull admitted payments due to sugarcane farmers were to the tune of Rs400 crore.

The officials said they had written to the authorities in this regard and the matter was under consideration.