Seven farmers' unions to protest in Punjab CM's constituency today

With Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government yet to enforce the loan-waiver scheme for the distressed farmers, as many as seven farmer organisations in the state are set to hold protest in the CM's constituency Patiala on Friday.

Thousands of farmers have gathered in the surrounding districts of Patiala for the protest. In view of the impending law and order situation, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has also allowed the extension of deployment of paramilitary forces in the district till September 26. The forces were deployed in the state ahead of the Dera case verdict.

The farmer unions had earlier planned to gherao the CM's residence in Patiala and hold a five-day long sit-in protest; however, following the intervention of the High Court, farmers have been directed to gather at an earmarked area at least 5 kms away from the main city for holding the protest.

"Our first and foremost demand had been that the government fulfills its promise of debt waiver. It has been six months since the government was formed, yet our debt-ridden farmers are continuing to take their lives and nothing has been done," said Johinder Singh from Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan).

The Congress-led government which had come into power riding on the promise of debt-waiver had announced to waive entire crop loans of 8.75 lakhs small and marginal farmers with land upto 5 acres and loans up to Rs. 2 lakhs in June. The proposal was recently passed in the Cabinet meeting and is awaiting the EC nod for official notification.

While the farmer unions representatives assured the Court that there would be no untoward incident in wake of the protest, the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders Section 144 CrPC in the city to contain the situation.

The farmer unions have also demanded that the cases registered against the farmers ahead of the five-day protest should also be withdrawn.

Waiver promise

The Congress-led government which had come into power riding on the promise of debt-waiver had announced to waive entire crop loans of 8.75 lakhs small and marginal farmers with land upto 5 acres and loans up to Rs. 2 lakhs in June