Amritsar: Women in large number join farmers' protest

Amritsar, May 5

On the call of the state committee of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, a large number of farmers, labourers and women staged a massive demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here today. Women participated in a large number in the protest.

Addressing the gathering, state general secretary of the committee Sarwan Singh Pandher said the Centre and the state government were implementing anti-farmer policies under the pressure of the WTO in which “free trade agreements” had been made in the past. “The power sector, mining sector, highways and transport sector and communication sector have been handed over to corporate houses. The corporate houses are now entering the agriculture sector as well. The groundwater of the state is on the verge of depletion for which the corporate development model is responsible”.

State office secretary Gurbachan Singh Chabba said: “We are demanding MSP on oilseeds, pulses, maize and basmati as these crops consume less water. There should be concrete policies for water recharging.”

Farmer Leader Ranjit Singh Klerbala said the AAP government has completely failed in drug control. Big drug smugglers should be arrested and drug addicts should be given treatment. Blank cheques taken by banks from farmers as a double guarantee should be returned to them and cases against the growers should be withdrawn. The farmers also demanded jobs and compensation for families of those who died in the Delhi farmers’ agitation.