Farmers’ union to hold ‘Rail Roko’ agitation on Nov 17

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 9

Aggrieved sugarcane growers today announced to hold ‘Rail Roko’ agitation from November 17 in Dasuya to protest against non-payment of their demands.

The farmers under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Union Doaba held a press conference and rued that they had been holding meetings, protests and making requests but to no avail.

Such is the anger among the farmers that they have even announced that in case any loss of life takes place during the protest, government will be held responsible for it.

They said an amount of Rs 450 crore was due with private and government sugar mills.

President of the union Manjit Singh Rai said not only this, the state government had not released the notification to start the mills, which would affect their crops as they had gained surplus this time. They also demanded that the rate of sugarcane must be increased to Rs 350 per quintal.

The angry farmers said the protest would not be peaceful and the result could be anything.

“Now the farmers will not commit suicide, but they will protest and fight for their rights,” the farmers said.

Spokesperson of the union Satnam Singh said the government was not serious towards the plight of the farmer, which is why they had adopted such a harsh approach towards them.

“I have made a long list of our meetings with the officials, but the result has always remained zero,” he said.