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Tribune News Service
Bathinda, November 12
Members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur) on Monday burnt an effigy of the state government to protest against poor procurement of paddy at grain markets across the state.
They staged the protest outside the bus stand on the main GT Road and raised slogans against the state government.
Four members of the BKU (Sidhupur) have been on an indefinite hunger strike for the past three days and sitting outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Bathinda.
While addressing the protesters, BKU (Sidhupur) state general secretary Bogh Singh and state senior vice-president Kaka Singh Kotra said, “We have been protesting for the past three days but till date, no officials has contacted us. Due to negligence of the state government, paddy is lying at grain markets while the authorities are not paying any heed to it.”
They threatened that if the government did not take action on their demands, they would intensify their stir because the health of their leaders, who are sitting on the hunger strike have started deteriorating.
BKU (Sidhupur) leaders alleged that the district administration had not provided any doctor to them and there are no arrangements for water and toilets for people participating in the protest.
Satnam, president of the Forums Association of India, who was present during the protest, said “If the government does not lift the crop from the grain markets, they would also come up in support of the farmers.”
Other leaders Resham Singh Yatri and Roop Singh said, “It is sad that farmers have gone on a hunger strike to get their demands fulfilled while the district administration is not ready to listen to them, which clearly indicates that the administration supports corporate sector and traders who loot farmers”.
Four farmer leaders — Baldev Singh Sandoha, Sukhdev Singh, Ujagar Singh and Major Singh — are on a fast unto death until the government streamlines the purchase and lifting of paddy lying at the grain markets in the state.