Abohar: Cotton Corporation of India ‘backtracks’, farmers stage protest

Abohar, January 18

Accusing the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) of backtracking again on the assurance given in the presence of the district administration to purchase their crop, farmers today staged a protest and blocked the main road here.

The farmers alleged that the CCI is “showing reluctance” in purchasing their cotton crops.

Several vehicles laden with narma cotton entered the old city area and blocked roads. Officials of the administration tried to pacify the protesters, but to no avail.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha activists Subhash Godara and Babbal Buttar, who led the protest, said that the CCI is an agency of the Central Government which is “deliberately harassing” the farmers by discriminating against them in Punjab.

“Only a few stacks were purchased by the CCI. Officials had agreed to relax conditions of purchasing narma in the presence of administrative officials, but later they reneged due to which farmers were forced to enter the old city to tell people about the anti-farmer attitude of the central agency,” the farmer leaders said.

Officials of the CCI said they are finding it difficult to compromise on the set norms on moisture and quality of the produce.