Sukhbir Badal asks farmers to unite against autocratic govt which is registering cases against them for burning paddy stubble

Chandigarh, October 17 – Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said registration of cases against six farmers for burning paddy stubble in Sangrur district was in itself proof that the Congress government was putting down agitating farmers with a heavy hand despite loud claims of chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh that no cases would be registered against farmers in this regard.

In a statement here, the SAD president said it was condemnable that the Sangrur administration had registered cases against six farmers on the same day on which the chief minister had invited various farmer organizations for talks to Chandigarh. “Yesterday’s developments show the government wants to intimidate farmers into managing paddy straw themselves even as it told farmer organizations that it will not incentivize this exercise and will not allocate any money for this purpose”.

Stating that the twin developments could worsen the farm crisis and could lead to further despondency and despair amongst the farming community which had already witnessed more than 250 suicides in the last seven months due to non-fulfillment of the loan waiver promised by the Congress government, Mr Badal said the SAD was with the farmers and would stand by their side and not allow cases to be registered against them. “I appeal to all farmers to unite as one and take on this autocratic government which seeks to penalize you by making you pay Rs 5,000 per acre to manage paddy straw with the threat of cases and jail terms”, he added.

The Akali supremo also condemned the government for insulting farm leaders who had gone to meet the chief minister yesterday. “The leaders were made to wait for three hours and then told that the government would not spare any money to incentivize farmers to prevent them from burning paddy stubble. This reflects the anti-farmer bias of the Congress government which has been issuing warnings to farmers that their subsidies would be withdrawn in case they did not manage their paddy straw themselves.

Mr Badal said it was astonishing that the government was continuing to mislead farmers on the issue of complete loan waiver. “Earlier an impression was given that but for the Gurdaspur by poll the loan waiver would have been notified immediately. But now after the by poll the government has again decided to maintain a studious silence on this issue. The chief minister refused to tell farm leaders when the loan waiver would be notified”.

The SAD president asked the Congress government to immediately release funds for incentivizing farmers up to Rs 5,000 per acre as per actual cost to manage paddy straw. He said funds should also be released to young entrepreneurs to purchase straw reapers and other equipment needed to manage paddy straw besides giving go ahead for establishment of more bio mass plants in Punjab.