Hooda to raise farmers’ plight in Assembly

JIND: Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today alleged 95 per cent of losses of cotton growers in Jind, Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Sirsa and Hisar districts had failed to move the state government, as it was yet to announce compensation for affected farmers.

Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda inspects whitefly-hit fields in Jind district on Tuesday. Tribune photo

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jind, September 1

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today alleged 95 per cent of losses of cotton growers in Jind, Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Sirsa and Hisar districts had failed to move the state government, as it was yet to announce compensation for affected farmers.

He said he would raise the matter in the Assembly session starting from tomorrow (Wednesday) to press for the release of compensation.

“The farmers have suffered losses because of whitefly attack, but the government is yet to take any step. It has exposed the anti-farmer face of the government,” Hooda told the media in a guest house here. He visited affected farmers of Igrah, Bahbalpur and Bibipur villages.

The Congress leader said of 5.8 lakh hectares under cotton crop, more than 5 lakh hectares had been damaged. He demanded assessment of the damage.

“Earlier, untimely rain and hailstorm damaged crops. The government was biased in distributing grant then. Now, the whitefly attack has multiplied farmers’ problems, but the government is yet to wake up from its slumber,” Hooda alleged.

The former Chief Minister alleged that after the formation of BJP government at the Centre and in the state, traders, businessmen and farmers were a harassed lot.

Demand for compensation gets shriller

Sirsa/Fatehabad: With cotton crop damaged in many areas of Sirsa and Fatehabad districts, the demand for compensation is increasing by the day. Farmers in the two districts uprooted their crop as it was not in a position to bear cost of pesticides. Jarnail Singh from Fatehabad’s Dariyapur village was one such farmer. Farmers from Bhadolanwali, Dhotar, Nanuana, Sultanpuria and Santawali villages demanded compensation. Farmers from Dhottar village protested at Rania on Tuesday, flaying the government for not releasing compensation. Farmers Mani Ram, Manphool, Amar Singh and Subhash alleged more than 70 per cent of their crop had been lost to the whitefly attack. INLD MLA from Fatehabad Balwan Singh Daulatpuria and state executive member from Sahuwala Jasbir Singh Jassa demanded a special girdawari. —TNS

INLD, HJC bat for relief

Bhiwani: The local units of the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Tuesday joined a dharna by the All-India Kisan Sabha outside the Mini-Secretariat in Hisar, demanding relief for cotton farmers whose crops were damaged in whitefly attack. Former MP Ramjilal and HJC leader Randhir Singh Panihar, along with their supporters, today reached the dharna spot where farmers have been protesting for 12 days. The party leaders handed over a letter to kisan sabha chief P Prakash, stating they would support farmers for their “genuine demands”. They conveyed to protesters that HJC supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi would press for their demands before the state government. INLD MP Dushyant Chautala met the Hisar Deputy Commissioner at his camp office and discussed the matter. Former INLD legislator Puran Singh Dhabda handed over a memorandum in the name of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, highlighting the state of farmers. —TNS