Paddy procurement: SAD hits out at Congress, AAP blames Centre

Chandigarh, October 1

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the Congress government had got procurement of paddy postponed by 10 days in Punjab to hide its failure in making the required arrangements.

A spokesperson of the party said Sukhbir accompanied a trolley filled with paddy to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) head office here to get the moisture content of the grain checked. The same was done in the presence of a deputy general manager-level officer and was recorded at 12.9 per cent against the allowed moisture content of 17 per cent.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued from the party headquarters here on Friday, AAP MLA and Kisan Wing state president Kultar Singh Sandhwan said the Centre’s move was aimed at taking revenge from farmers for the ongoing protests against the three agricultural laws.

Terming the decision to defer the procurement of paddy as a ‘Tughlaqi farman’, Sandhwan demanded immediate withdrawal of the order. “The paddy has started arriving in the mandis of Punjab and it will be difficult for the farmers to handle it for 10 days,” he added. — TNS

‘BJP bid to avenge agri law protest’

AAP MLA and Kisan Wing state president Kultar Singh Sandhwan said the Centre’s move was aimed at taking revenge from farmers for the ongoing protests against the three agricultural laws.