Amritsar: Farmer outfits hold tractor marches, burn govt effigies

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 26

Farmers under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha held tractor marches at various places in the district to protest against the Centre and Haryana Government and mobilise agrarian community’s support for their demands.

Farmers led by Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) held a protest at Golden Gate here on the GT road and burnt an effigy of the Central Government. Farmer leaders criticised the government for using violence to silence the voice of the community.

Kashmir Singh Dhangai, BKU (Ugrahan) district president, said, “The legal guarantee is not going to help the farming community alone. It would ensure that end consumers get the agricultural produce at an affordable price.” He said farmers had sold potato for less than Rs 4 per kilo and consumers bought it for at least Rs 15 per kilo from vegetable markets.

“Big corporate houses, which make chips and other products from potatoes, are earning nearly Rs 300 from per kilo of potato. So farmers and end consumers are being looted by the corporates. Our fight is against corporates and not poor masses,” he said.

Farmers led by Jamhoori Kisan Sabha leader Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala held a march on the Amritsar-Ajnala road. Dr Ajnala said, “The agriculture sector is in a serious debt trap as corporates want to take control over land. Control of agriculture by corporates would be dangerous for the poor as they would not be able to afford even basic food items.” He said the survival of agriculture was important for the livelihood of common masses as it was the largest employment generating sector.

Farmers led by Vegetable Growers Association president Lakhbir Singh Nizampura held a tractor march on the Amritsar-Jalandhar road and burnt an effigy of the government. “The MSP of vegetables would ensure that farmers get a better price. Legal provisions would prevent exploitation of farmers by traders,” he said

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