CHANDIGARH: After almost day-long protests by farmers in Punjab and Haryana, including the gherao of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s personal residence in Kharar and Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s home in Karnal, over the delay in paddy procurement, the Centre announced that procurement in the two states would begin on October 3.
The decision to begin procurement was announced following a meeting between Khattar and union minister of state for consumer affairs, food and public distribution Ashwini Kumar Choubey in New Delhi. Following the announcement, the farmers lifted the dharna.
Rice procurement was to start on October 1 but was postponed to October 10 as moisture content in the fresh arrival of the crop was beyond permissible limits owing to recent heavy rains. Farmers in Punjab protested outside residences of Channi, deputy chief minister O P Soni, assembly speaker Rana K P Singh, MLA Harjot Kamal, besides many other leaders.
In Haryana, protests were held outside the residences of Bharatiya Janata Party and Jannayak Janta Party leaders. Farmers pitched tents in front of Khattar’s residence at Prem Nagar in Karnal and later hoisted the Bharatiya Kisan Union flag on the walls.
In Ambala, the police put up barricades to prevent the farmers from laying siege to the residence of BJP legislator Aseem Goel. Tight security arrangements were made outside the residence of state home minister Anil Vij in the cantonment.
At some places the farmers handed over memorandum to deputy commissioners demanding the commencement of paddy purchase. The protesters said they feared they would suffer if their crop was not purchased at the grain markets.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha had on Friday asked the farmers to hold protests outside the residences of ministers and MLAs in both the states. The paddy crop had started arriving in mandis and farmers feared that they would be forced to sell their crop below the minimum support price (MSP).
Haryana home minister Vij said the agitation by farmers was getting violent. “Farmers’ agitation is getting violent day by day. Violent movement in the country of Mahatma Gandhi cannot be allowed,” Vij tweeted.
On Friday, Channi had called on PM Narendra Modi and requested him to start the procurement in Punjab. Expressing his gratitude to Modi for his personal intervention on the matter, Channi said the decision would enable smooth procurement of paddy to the satisfaction of the farmers.