Another farmer dies at Sangrur’s protest site; protesters refuse cremation till demands accepted

Parvesh Sharma

Sangrur, October 21

A farmer sitting on indefinite protest along with others near the private residence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here died today due to suspected cardiac arrest. On October 17, a farmer had died of snakebite. The indefinite protest has been going on since October 9.

Meanwhile, protesters have refused to cremate both the bodies till the acceptances of their demands for relief to the families of the deceased.

In addition to their long-pending demands from Punjab government and Centre, after deaths of farmers, protesters are also demanding financial aid and government job for families of deceased and complete debt waiver.

“Punjab government is responsible for another death of Akoi Sahib village resident Karnail Singh (65), who died of suspected cardiac arrest while earlier Gurcharan Singh from Bakhora Kalan died of snake bite. Punjab government should give Rs 10 lakh financial aid, complete debt waiver and a government job to the families of deceased farmers. We would cremate the bodies after the acceptance our demands for their families,” said Jagtar Kalajhar, state press secretary, BKU Ugrahan.

For Punjab government, their demands include immediate release of financial aid to farmers who have suffered losses due to damage to cotton and other crops and special assessment of crops damaged recently, allotment of special budget for public water projects, closure of liquor factory near Zira for causing pollution, quick action to prevent pollution of various canals by industrialists of Ludhiana and other districts.

From the Union government, farmers are demanding action against all accused involved in Lakhmir Kheri incident and release of innocent farmers, government job to the families of deceased farmers and Rs 10 lakh financial aid to each family, MSP of 23 crops as per Swaminathan report and guarantee for the purchase of these crops, government jobs and financial aid to the families of deceased 700 farmers, who lost their lives during New Delhi agitation and withdrawal of cases.