Will shut down units if cops not withdrawn: Rice millers

Kurukshetra, November 21

Rice millers on Thursday threatened to shut down their units if the police are not withdrawn. The police was deployed at rice mills across the state on Wednesday to ensure that not a single grain was taken out of the mills not brought inside following reports of “bogus” purchase of paddy. 

The rice millers have also threatened to hand over the keys of their mills to the government and stop the delivery of custom-milled rice if the cops were not withdrawn. This was decided at a meeting here.

Haryana Rice Millers and Dealers Association chairman Jewel Singla, who chaired the meeting, said it was impossible for the millers to work in “stifling” conditions. 

“We are ready to cooperate with the state government. We have no objection to the inspection of our units. Our only grouse is the way we are being treated. The method adopted by the authorities is wrong,” he said.

MLA seeks probe into bogus purchase

Karnal: Congress’ Assandh MLA Shamsher Singh Gogi has demanded that an independent agency must inquire into ‘bogus’ procurement of paddy by rice millers. “On paper, the quantity of paddy brought to grain markets of the district is more than the production. The stock of all rice mills should be checked and their record put in the public domain so that people know about the nexus among officials, rice millers and arhtiyas,” the Congress leader said. tns

We are ready to cooperate with the state government. Our only grouse is the way we are being treated. The method adopted by the authorities is wrong.—  Jewel Singla, Chairman, Haryana rice millers and dealers association