10 Farmers’ outfits submit 25-point charter of demands to DC, in PM’s name
Demand better crop prices, loan waiver and various reliefs
Ferozepur, May 27, 2020: Today, on a call All India Kissan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, celebrating ‘Kissan Bachao-Desh Bachao’ Divas – having representation of 250 All India level organizations and 10 Punjab state outfits - submitted a 25-point charter of demands to the Deputy Commissioner in the name of Prime Minister Punjab to register their protest for not accepting the long pending demands of the farmers including the imposition of lockdown without any preparation and taking the decision of privatization of agriculture under the Rs.20 lakh crore farmers’ package.
Stating about the various other demands, Harnek Singh Mehma, District President, Bharti Kissan Union (Dakonda), District Ferozepur and Gulzar Singh Kabarvachha, Shamsher Singh Shehzadi and others said, the central government amid corona pandemic, the farmer's community has been completely ignored and demanded to cancel all the corporate-friendly and anti-national policies and decision. Besides, the other major demands are cancellation of the Electricity Amendment Bill-2020, deposit Rs.10,000 per month in the account of farmers for at least six months, having less than 10 acres land, increasing the amount of Rs.6,000 to Rs.18,000 under PM Kissan Yojna, give ex-gratia to corona victim farmer of Rs.20 lakh, 50 per cent subsidy on agriculture implements, reducing the rate of diesel to Rs.22 per litre, handsome compensation to the farmer in the event of natural calamity, the opening of canal water along with 16 hours power supply, waiving off of entire loans, issuing of permanent passes to the farmers having land across the barber fencing near the international border, making a permanent solution to the stray animals, making arrangements for treatment of corona in all the private or private-public partnership hospitals and to ensure hundred per cent irrigation by making concrete canals to save the underground water and electricity.
They said, despite all the tall claims made by the government, the ground situation is altogether different and the government is taking the undue advantage of the lockdown of not being able to protest on the roads and not taking care of the farmer’s community.
Adding they said, in view of the corona pandemic threat, we have not arranged the huge gathering and only a few members had come to register their protest by presenting the memorandum. In case the genuine demands of the farmers are not accepted, we will be left with no alternative except to resort to agitation.