Bajwa threatens dharna against own party govt over cane growers'' issue

Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 4

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday threatened to sit on a dharna along with protesting cane farmers and move the Punjab and Haryana High Court against his own government, if it failed to clear pending dues and ensure procurement by sugar mills.

Taking on the Capt Amarinder Singh-led government, the former PPCC president said the latter had failed to get the farmers' 

Rs 400 crore dues cleared. "I am appealing to the Chief Minister through the social media to come to the rescue of the hapless farmers." 

Bajwa said normally crushing started in October but it was December already but procurement by private mills was yet to begin. "I fear the mills may not be able to crush the entire stock. The state must pay interest on pending dues as it had agreed on a price of Rs 310 per quintal". 

Private mills are refusing to start operations, insisting the government must reimburse the Rs 35/quintal gap — the difference between the State Advised Price of Rs 310 and Fair Remunerative Price of Rs 275 fixed by the Centre. 

Most of these private mills, owned by politicians from various parties, are seeking subsidy at Rs 35 per quintal. 

Bajwa advised the Amarinder Singh government to act in a manner that would strengthen the hands of party president Rahul Gandhi in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.