Angry over the Centre’s decision to delay paddyprocurement in Punjab and Haryana by 10 days, the farmers on the call given by SamyuktKisan Morcha (SKM) on Friday, gheraoed the residence of Punjab Minister PargatSingh today at Punjabi Bagh locality here in Jalandhar.
The nine-member committee of the SKM which decided thismove had asked the farmers to continue protesting outside MLA and Ministershouses till the government starts paddy procurement.
The farmers in large number gathered outside Educationand Sports Minister Pargat Singh and raised slogans against Congress governmentwhile demanding immediate start of the procurement process in Punjab andcompensation for the loss in cotton crop due to heavy rain.
Heavy police force was deployed outside Pargat Singh’s houseto avoid any untoward situation.
Meanwhile, the farmers said that this demonstration isagainst centre and state government. They can’t keep farmers waiting. They saidthat the mandis in some districts are seeing a surge in paddy arrivals. “It is totallyunfair to keep farmers waiting in mandis. This is just another way of harassingfarmers who have been agitating against the Centre over three farm laws”.
Protesting farmers also said as they couldn’t find PargatSingh at his residence at Punjabi Bagh here, and learnt that he was at CircuitHouse, therefore, a group of farmers also reached Circuit house to gherao theminister.
Besides, CM Charanjit Singh Channi also met PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on Friday and had requested him to intervene and advisethe Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to immediatelywithdraw its letter regarding the same.