Fulfil demands or face ‘big action’: BKU to Punjab government

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, October 15

Farmers, under the banner of the BKU (Ugrahan), have said the union would take some “big action” on October 20 against the state government if it failed to fulfil their “accepted” demands.

The farmers have been staging a dharna for seven days near the local residence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over their long-pending demands.

They organised “Lalkar Diwas” today and said they would intensify their protest in the coming days.

“We are not idle. We cannot sit on a protest indefinitely as paddy harvesting has begun and we have to take care of our fields. If the government fails to fulfil our demands, we have decided to take some big action against it on October 20,” said Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president, BKU (Ugrahan).

Asked about what kind of action the union was contemplating to undertake, the president said it would be decided by the members and leaders of the union.

The farmers have made separate demands to the state government and the Centre. From the state, the farmers have demanded immediate release of the financial aid to growers who have suffered losses to their cotton and other crops damaged recently, a special assessment of the damage, allotment of a special budget for water projects, closure of a liquor factory near Zira and action to check pollution of various canals by industrialists of Ludhiana and other districts.

From the Centre, they are demanding quick action against persons involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri conspiracy and release of innocent farmers, a government job to next of kin of the deceased farmers and Rs 10-lakh financial aid to each family.

Can’t protest indefinitely

We cannot protest indefinitely as paddy harvesting has begun. If the government fails to fulfil our demands, we have decided to take some big action against it on Oct 20. — Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president, BKU (Ugrahan)

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