Farmers submit memorandums to Amritsar MLAs

Amritsar, May 9

The representatives of 16 farmers’ unions under the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha submitted memorandums regarding their demands with all 11 MLAs from the district here on Monday.

They said along with the nine MLAs of the Aam Aadmi party, memorandums were also submitted with the MLAs (one each) of Congress and SAD.

As the farmer groups reached offices or residences of the MLAs, in most cases the memorandums were accepted by their personal assistants or family members. The only exceptions being Amritsar South MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjer and Attari MLA Jaswinder Singh, who received the memorandum personally. The farmer leaders said Nijjer patiently listened to their demands and promised to take up the matter with the government.

Farmer leaders Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala of Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, Rattan Singh Randhawa of Border Area Sangharsh Committee and Jatinder Singh Chinna of Kirti Kisan Union said the major demands included compensation for loss of yield and wheat fields burnt by fire, deferring of loan instalments by six months and payment of dues of sugarcane farmers.

Dr Ajnala said the payment amounting to nearly Rs 900 crore of sugarcane farmers was pending. He also demanded from the government to prepone the date for commencement of paddy transplantation in state.

Jatinder Singh Chinna said farmers’ organisations would wait for the reply from the government on all issues listed in the memorandum till May 25 after which they would be forced to take the fight on the streets. He said many demands which were accepted by the previous government were yet to be implemented.