Samyukt Kisan Morcha to hold protest against Punjab govt on August 3

Chandigarh: Farmer's collective Samyukt Kisan Morcha Monday announced it will hold a protest on August 3 against the AAP-led government in Punjab over several issues including the non-payment of sugarcane dues and compensation for cotton crop damaged by whitefly.

Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur) president Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is a member of the SKM, said the farmers will block national highways at three places in Majha, Malwa and Doaba regions in the state on that day.

Dallewal said the farmers had held a meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on April 17 and May 18 and discussed several issues including the release of dues of the sugarcane farmers but the payment has yet not been made.

He also raised the issue of government jobs for the kin of farmers who lost their lives during the protests against the now-repealed farm laws, bonus on wheat prop, compensation for damage to basmati crop because of inclement weather and compensation for cotton growers affected by whitefly.

Dallewal also rejected the committee on the minimum support price formed by the Centre and added farmer bodies under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha would stage a one-day protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on August 22.

At the meeting, a unanimous resolution was passed to condemn the certain farmers' groups which had formed political outfits against the principles of the Morcha, he said.

He said the SKM will continue to be non-political in nature.