Farm labourers stage dharna outside Punjab FM’s office in Dirba

Sangrur, March 2

Members and activists of rural/farm labourers’ organisations staged a dharna outside the office of Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema in Dirba today. They are demanding Rs 1,000 per month for women as promised by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during the previous Assembly elections and Rs 5,000 per month as old age pension. Earlier, they took out a march in town and handed over a memorandum to an official in Cheema’s office, enlisting their demands. They also demanded that in the Punjab Budget — to be presented in Vidhan Sabha on March 5 — requisite funds be earmarked for improving the social and financial conditions of farm labourers.

Harbhagwan Singh Moonak, a state committee member of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, said they were also seeking waiving off loans of farm labourers, allotment of plots to all homeless farm labourers, a grant of Rs 5 lakh for construction of houses, ensuring proper supply of essential commodities through ration depots, implementation of pro-farmer and pro-farm labourer policy.

They also demanded action against the Modi government and Khattar government for ‘committing atrocities’ on the agitating farmers at Shambhu and Khanauri borders.

Among others present included Ghumand Singh Ugrahan, state committee member of Mazdoor Mukti Morcha; Gurcharan Singh Gharachon, a member of Zamin Prapati Sanghrash Committee; and Balwinder Singh Jhaloor, leader of Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union.