Protesting FIRs, farmers burn effigies of state govt

Members of the Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba) burnt effigies of the state government at all district headquarters, tehsils and blocks on Monday against the recent FIRs filed against farmers on the issue of stubble burning. Members of the union said amid losses sustained in the recent Punjab floods, farmers had no other choice but burn stubble, unless they are compensated Rs 6,000 per acre or Rs 200 per quintal for stubble management.

While the union had made a declaration, as soon as FIRs began to be filed, that it would oppose any action against farmers on stubble burning, its leaders today burned the effigy of the state government across districts and blocks. Union members also blamed the state and Central governments for failing to pay heed to farmers demands after the recent floods.

In Doaba, effigy-burning protests were held at the Behram toll plaza, Mehatpur, Nakodar, Phillaur and Jalandhar among other areas. At Mehatpur, farmers gathered amid rain and burnt an effigy of the state government while condemning the state and Central governments.

BKU Mehatpur activist Kashmir Singh Pannu said, “After the Supreme Court’s observation on stubble, asking the state government to file FIRs in this regard, the state government has repeatedly been registering cases against farmers. We have held protests against this today. We don’t want to set stubble on fire, but we are forced to do this. Unless we are compensated Rs 6,000 per acre for stubble management, we have got no other choice.”