Farmers lift dharna after SDM's assurance

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, August 24

Farmers belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) ended their protest on the second day today after getting assurance from Phagwara SDM Jai Inder Singh. The farmers were holding a protest outside the SDM’s office in support of their demand to release arrears of Rs 43 crore.

Earlier while addressing the dharna, BKU leader Satnam Singh Sahni said a gym had been built on the land of the sugar mill. The monthly rent of the gym and offices, which was worth around Rs 7 lakh, was going to the heirs of the property. This amount had not been sent to the account of farmers. Sahni said they had already told the administration that the sale of mill owners’ land, which had not been attached yet, should be stopped. Sukhbir Sandhar had sold most of his property and no legal action has been taken against him.

He said the mill owners had taken Rs 100 crore loan in the name of farmers. A case should be registered under Section 420 of the IPC. Sahni said they had given an application this regard, but no case had been registered yet.

Kirpal Singh Moosapur, senior vice-president, BKU, Doaba, Kulwinder Singh Atholi, president, BKU, Doaba Zone, Phagwara, and Lal Singh also addressed the dharna today.

While addressing the gathering, the Phagwara SDM said the demands of farmers were legitimate and the administration had prepared a strategy under which four main properties of Jarnail Singh Wahid, Sukhbir Singh Sandhar, Jaswinder Singh Bains, all former partners of the mill, and one mill property would be auctioned within next 10 days.

Meanwhile, Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Captain Karnail Singh has invited a 10-member delegation of farmers for a meeting tomorrow.

Sahni said 10 members of the BKU (Doaba) would go to attend the meeting at the District Administrative Complex Kapurthala. Sahni warned if the pending amount was not released within 10 days, then they would be forced to block traffic on the national highway at Phagwara. He said they would not allow the sugar mill to operate till the pending amount was released or new owner of the mill takes the responsibility to release old payment.