CHANDIGARH: The three-day Punjab farmers' stir against the state and central government ended on Tuesday with the union leaders meeting Governor Banwari Lal Purohit and submitting a memorandum of their demands. The farmers are said to meet Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on December 4 and then Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on December 19 for a final discussion.
Earlier in the day, the farmer leaders met state agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and it was decided at the meeting that they would meet Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on December 19.
Harinder Singh Lakhowal General Secretary of Bahrtiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) said, "After meeting the agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and submitting a memorandum to Governor Banwari Lal Purohit we have ended our protest."
"Khuddian has asked us to give our demands in detail on December 4 so that the government can study them with their legal experts then after discussing with us in another meeting we will have the final meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on December 19 for a final discussion. If then our demands are accepted by the government and implemented fine, otherwise then the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will hold a meeting and then decide on a further course of action,"he added.
As part of their protest, scores of farmers have gathered at the Mohali-Chandigarh border to press the central government to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.
The farmers have been demanding the withdrawal of cases filed against them during the 2020-21 stir against the now-repealed farm laws and for burning the paddy straw, compensation and jobs for any one of the family members of farmers who died during the stir, extension of MSP to other crops, loan waiver, Rs 10,000 pension per month for farmers aged 60 and above, free electricity and withdrawal of Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022, compensation for crops damaged by floods and pest attacks and action against Union Minister Ajay Misra in the Lakhimpur Kheri case.
The farmers from across Punjab gathered at the Mohali-Chandigarh border near Phase-11 in Mohali. They had come on more than 3,000 tractor trolleys, besides cars and other vehicles with ration, bedding, utensils, cooking gas, and cylinders. They had erected tents and set up a stage in the middle of the road, where farmer leaders were addressing the protesters.
Meanwhile, farmers from Haryana ended their three-day protest after submitting a memorandum to the state governor. Now they will hold a meeting of the farmer unions in Hisar to decide their next course of action. Fifteen farmer leaders met the governor at the Haryana Raj Bhawan today afternoon.
Farmer leader Suresh Koth said, "The Samyukt Kisan Morcha has decided to end their protest. We met the governor and discussed our long-pending demands. We have submitted the memorandum. Now the Centre is supposed to take a decision.’’
He said the farmers are awaiting action and would intensify the protest in case the matter stood unresolved.