Farmers to observe ‘rail roko’ over Centre’s policies on Oct 3 in state

The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) would block trains on October 3 for two hours in Punjab to protest the policies of the Union and State governments. Stating this at the women’s ‘Lalkar Rally’ organised by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) in Sheron village on Friday, the leaders described the policies of the government as ‘anti-farmer’ and also called upon women to come forward and play a crucial role in the farmers’ agitation in a planned manner to get their due. Women from across the district participated in the rally in large numbers. Also, 16 women leaders were elected for the district branch of the KMSC.

Satnam Singh Pannu, Sukhwinder Singh Sabhra and Sarwan Singh Pandher were among the state leaders who addressed the gathering. The leaders said that the policies of the Union and the State Government were serving the corporate sector at the cost of farmers’ interests.

The KMSC leaders said that the Union Government was not concerned over the demands of farmers who were fighting on Shambhu and Khanauri borders for more than seven months now.

The KMSC leaders flayed the state government’s decision to make red entry in the revenue records of farmers found guilty of burning the paddy straw. The leaders said that the state government itself was not sincere about finding a solution to the problem of burning paddy straw as it had not made any proper arrangements for it nor had the state government given the compensation of Rs 7,000 per acre to the farmers for crop residue management. The leaders alleged that the state government had not ensured better prices for the basmati variety of rice and were being exploited.

The KMSC also elected its office-bearers on the occasion. Ranjit Kaur Kallha was elected senior vice- president, Devinder Kaur Piddi, Gurmeet Kaur Surwind and Ranjit Kaur Jandoke were elected as vice- presidents and 12 others were made members of the district branch of KMSC.