3 days ago
Farmers Begin Five-Day Sit-In Outside Punjab Minister’s Office
Farmers’ groups started a five-day protest outside a Punjab minister’s office in Hoshiarpur.
They want the state government to discuss their list of demands.
The demands include waiving farm loans and paying minimum support prices for several crops.
They also want cases against people involved in earlier protests to be withdrawn.
The groups are concerned about power cuts affecting irrigation.
They oppose some proposed laws, prepaid electricity meters and land acquisition.
They say they may hold bigger protests if the government does not respond.
A meeting is planned for September 16 to decide what they will do next.
Farmers’ groups began a five-day sit-in outside Punjab Cabinet Minister Ravjot Singh’s office in Hoshiarpur.
The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha is demanding talks with the Punjab government over a 12-point charter.
Key demands include loan waivers, minimum support prices, withdrawal of protest-related cases and compensation for affected families.
Farmers also oppose prepaid electricity meters, land pooling and alleged forced land acquisition for Bharatmala projects.
Leaders warned of larger protests, including possible railway-track and highway blockades, if talks are not held.
- Who
- The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, Bharatiya Kisan Union Doaba, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (Piddi Group) and Kisan Mazdoor Hitkari Sabha.
- What
- The groups launched a five-day sit-in and pressed the Punjab government to address their 12-point charter of demands.
- Where
- Outside the office of Punjab Cabinet Minister Ravjot Singh in Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
- When
- The sit-in began on Monday; the organisations said they would meet on September 16 to decide their next action if talks are not held.
- Why
- The protesters want government talks on loan waivers, crop procurement, electricity, land, protest-related cases and other agricultural and workers’ issues.
Farmers’ Organisations
Punjab Government Position
Government talks
Farmers’ Organisations
The protesting organisations say the Punjab government should hold talks on their 12-point charter and warn of intensified action if it refuses.
Punjab Government Position
No response from the Punjab government to the sit-in or the demands was reported.
Power supply
Farmers’ Organisations
Farmers claim unscheduled power cuts are disrupting tube-well irrigation and affecting crops and industry; they also dispute claims of adequate coal availability.
Punjab Government Position
The article does not provide the government’s response to the allegations about power cuts or coal availability.
Land and policy measures
Farmers’ Organisations
The groups seek withdrawal of the land pooling policy, an end to forced acquisition for Bharatmala projects and opposition to several proposed laws and prepaid meters.
Punjab Government Position
No government position on these demands was reported.
Key facts
- Protest duration
- Five days
- Location
- Outside Ravjot Singh’s office, Hoshiarpur
- Lead organisation
- Kisan Mazdoor Morcha
- Main demand
- Talks with the Punjab government
- Crop procurement demand
- Minimum support prices for basmati, maize, moong, mustard and potatoes
- Potential escalation
- Railway-track and highway blockades
- Next decision meeting
- September 16
Quotes
Manjit Singh Rai
State president of Bharatiya Kisan Union Doaba
“If the government refuses to hold talks, we will convene a meeting on September 16 to decide our next course of action.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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