Thousands of Congress workers led by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh and other senior leaders today staged a massive protest dharna against the non-payment of dues, amounting to Rs 250 crores, to the sugarcane farmers in the state.Besides Capt Amarinder others present on the occasion included former Chief Minister Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former PCC president Partap Singh Bajwa, Indian Youth Congress president Raja Warring, AICC Secretary Harish Chaudhary, senior leaders Manpreet Singh Badal, Ms Santosh Chaudhary, Rana Gurjeet Singh, Ashwani Sekhri, Chaudhary Santokh Singh, Vijay Inder Singla and others.Addressing the dharna, Capt Amarinder made a passionate plea to the farmers not to resort to desperate measures like suicide and wait for seven months more promising them settlement of all their debts. He said, the Congress government will bring in a law which will save the indebted farmers’ assets from being confiscated. Besides, he said, the government will also take measures to make farmers debt-free.
Expressing grave concern over the rising number of suicides by the farmers, the PCC president said, all of these were not reported. He disclosed that recently it was reported that hundreds of bodies were seen floating in the canal at Khanouri. He said, most of these bodies were feared to be of the debt-ridden farmers as most of the suicide cases were going unnoticed.Blaming the ruling Akali-BJP alliance for the current crisis in the farming, the former Chief Minister said, while it had failed all the sections, the farmers were the worst sufferers. He said, there was lot of resentment against the Akali-BJP regime and the time was not far when the Akalis will not be able to venture out among the public.He served an ultimatum to the government to release the sugarcane farmers’ dues immediately failing which the Congress party will launch a statewide agitation. Referring to the SYL issue that is pending in the Supreme Court of India, Capt Amarinder appealed to the judges to examine the ground realities and the availability of water in the rivers before pronouncing any decision. He said, the Haryana government was taking the plea of Eradi Commission which had based its recommendations on the availability of 18 Million Acre Feet (MAF) water in 1950s. He said, the water availability has come down to 13 MAF now. “It will be unfair to take a decision on the basis of water availability in 1950s”, he said, adding, “that is why I urge the honourable judges to look into the ground realities today before pronouncing their judgement”.He regretted that the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was playing politics on the issue. He asked as why he could not plead Punjab’s case properly with the central government as his party is part of the NDA government. “I am sure Badal wants the situation to get precipitated and complicated so that he can exploit the people’s sentiments, as he has always been doing”, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, former Chief Minister Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal lashed out at the Akali-BJP government for bringing state to the brink of bankruptcy. She appealed to people to ensure that the Congress formed government under the leadership of Capt Amarinder as he only can save Punjab.Addressing the dharna, Partap Singh Bajwa said, the party leaders may have a difference of opinion amongst themselves, but they were united and together to ensure Congress victory in the elections.IYC president Raja Warring, senior leaders Manpreet Badal, Harish Chaudhary, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Ashwani Sekhri, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and others.Among those present on the occasion included Rana Gurjeet Singh, Ms Aruna Chaudhary, Ashok Chaudhary, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukh Sarkaria, Fatej Jang Bajwa, Raman Behal, Raman Bhalla and others.