Farmers take out protest march on New Year's Eve

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 31

Farmers protesting outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here for the last 36 days took out a protest march on the roads of the city on New Year’s Eve. The farmers, who have been camping outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office since November 26, are using bonfires to keep them selves warm.

The farmers stated that the participation of agitators at protests site would increase from January 1 as they have already sent messages to villages in this regard. Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee (KMSC), president, Satnam Singh Pannu, said, “The senior government functionaries have met farmer leaders once during these last 36 days and they had assured to accept the demands which are in the preview of the state government.” However, the government has given nothing in written and as such they have no reason to believe in verbal assurances, he added.

The farmer leaders said that verbal assurances from senior officials and politicians did not mean anything, as they had seen them not keeping their words on numerous occasions. The KMSC general secretary, Sarwan Singh Pandher, said, “If we look at the figures of farmer suicides during the last few years, it can easily be seen that the number of cases have gone up during the recent years. As the farmers are not getting fair price for their produce, agriculture has become a loss making business.”

Pandher said though sleeping in trailers and sitting in the open all day was a challenge, but the agitators are upbeat. “Everyone here is in high spirits. We know that sooner or later the government would have to hold discussions and accept our justified demands,” he said. The KMSC activists are also holding protests at three toll plazas in the district since December 15 and have made these highways free for the commuters.

The farmer leaders stated that many of the issues they have taken up are concerning all the residents let alone farmers. They stated that people should force the government to stop the pollution being done by factories as it would affect everyone.