Black Diwali for farmers, say leaders of unions

Tardy lifting and paucity of DAP (diammonium phosphate) fertiliser triggered protest as farmers union activists staged a sit-in dharna outside the office of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Preeti Yadav and marched across the city to highlight their plight.

Protesting farmers demanded speeding up of paddy purchase and lifting of the crop from mandis in the district. “Make immediate arrangements for DAP fertiliser,” they said.

Besides, protesters demanded that the government should not take punitive action against farmers who indulged in stubble burning out of compulsion. They said the ruling dispensation had failed to provide machinery to farmers to manage crop residue.

The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) speakers, including Prem Singh Bhangu, president, Raminder Singh Patiala, vice president, Kirti Kisan Union, and Harinder Singh Lakhowal, president, BKU (Lakhowal) said this time it would be a black Diwali for farmers across the state.

“Farmers have nothing to celebrate. Their harvest is not produce is being purchased. They are scrambling to get fertilizers. To top it all, farmers, who are forced to set the crop residue on fire in the absence of stubble management machinery, are facing police action,” said Bhangu.

Harinder Singh Lakhowal said both the Centre and the state governments should address the plight of farmers. He said the PR 126-hybrid variety of paddy was not being lifted by agencies. “We demand that the government should take steps so that the crop could be purchased. Millers have refused to purchase the PR 126-hybrid variety due to high percentage of breakage of grains while milling the crop,” said Lakhowal. On the other hand BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) activists continued their protest outside the residence of BJP leader on the 11th consecutive day today.