Farmers, experts for Punjab Agricultural University debate

Tribune News Service

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Chandigarh, October 30

Except for strong political stances questioning the intention of the ‘Main Punjab Boldaan Haan’ debate at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana on November 1, there are different voices supporting the move by CM Bhagwant Mann for addressing the real issues facing the state.

The Krantikari Kisan Union today announced that it would send its team to Ludhiana for participating in the debate. The union would send a delegation of 50 farmers. Farm leaders from Ferozepur, Moga, Faridkot, Barnala and Fatehgarh Sahib will be present.

The farmers have got support from leading agriculture economist Prof SS Johl. Prof Johl has asked, “Everyone to forget their political affiliations and participate in the debate. Your Punjab is running in an extremely dark phase. If you do not think and act today, there will be complete disaster on the fronts of underground water, soil health, environment, drugs, unemployment, farm income and productivity. The SYL has now become a question of life and death for us.”

BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Kokrikal said, “We would like to join the debate, however, we have not received any invitation. What is point of going there when we don’t know whether we will be allowed.”

Supporting the government move, Paramjit Singh Kainth, president of the National Scheduled Castes Alliance (NSCA), said, “The concerns of the Scheduled Castes needed immediate redressal”.

There are also voices like Dr Pyare Lal Garg, a former registrar of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, who feel that the PAU was not the right podium for the debate. It should have been held in the Assembly. “Political parties should have been involved in organising the event instead of just populist announcements”, he said.

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