BKU men stop goods train to protest sugarcane purchase policy

Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union activists have blocked a goods train carrying sugar at
Shamli railway station here, demanding that the imported commodity be sent back, police said today.
    
The activists, led by BKU general secretary Rakesh Tikait late last night blocked the train laden with 26,000 quintals of sugar imported from Brazil in protest against the sugarcane purchase policy of the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government.
    
They also threatened to burn the imported sugar if it is not sent back.
    
"We will not allow the import of raw sugar in UP and if the sugar is not sent back, we will burnt it," Tikait said.
    
The activists also stopped several trucks, carrying sugar, on the highway near Shamli and tried to burn them.
    
On October 23, the Uttar Pradesh government had announced increase of Rs25 per quintal in the sugarcane State Advised Price (SAP) for the 2009-10 over last year, although the farmers were demanding a price of Rs280 per quintal of cane. Last year, the SAP was Rs140.
    
Meanwhile, farmers at some places in the district have burnt their cane crops to protest the SAP level.
    
A farmer, Narendra Kumar (40) of Rangel village, allegedly committed suicide in Saharanpur district yesterday after setting his sugarcane crop on fire, district magistrate Alok Kumar said.
    
Farmers of Zozohe, Bihari, Titerwara villages in the district also burnt their crops to protest against the government decision.