Arthiyas oppose online trading, direct payment to farmers

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, January 9

Arhtiyas have opposed the Centre’s project of online trading of crop and direct payment to farmers.

Sources said arhtiyas had already forced the government during last three seasons not to implement the system of direct payment and online trading in Haryana.

At a meeting held at the Karnal Club on Wednesday, arhtiyas from 14 districts unanimously announced to go on strike on January 15 in support of their demand. They also announced to hold a state-level protest rally in Jind on January 23, five days prior to the Jind bypoll.

Ashok Gupta, state president, Haryana State Anaj Mandi Arhtiyas Association, chaired the meeting and alleged the state government had been trying to create a rift between farmers and arhtiyas. “Haryana is the only state where the relation between farmer and arhtiyas is very cordial, but the state government is trying to break it by implementing the direct payment system. Due to this relation, farmers from other states come to Haryana to sell their produce,” said Gupta.

Besides, they also announced to boycott the BJP candidate in the Jind byelection if their demand was not met.

“We are being forced to agitate by the state government. We will hold a rally in Jind on January 23 and if our demand is not met, we will boycott the BJP candidate in the Jind byelection,” he said.

The state president claimed that around 70 per cent of commission agents belonged to the BJP, but in the coming general elections, they would go with the party which would consider their demand.

On January 15, arhtiyas would hand over a memorandum of their demands to the DCs concerned at the district headquarters, he said.