Homes of Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and seven ministers to become protest sites; farmers to raise demands over MSP, debt waiver, power supply and fertiliser

Chandigarh, 13 September (H.S.): The confrontation between farmer organisations and the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab is set to intensify as the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) begins a five-day protest from Monday. Demonstrations will be held outside the residences of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and seven state ministers, including AAP Punjab president and minister Aman Arora.

The move comes after the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan began surrounding the residences of ministers on Saturday. With KMM now joining the agitation, pressure on the state government is expected to increase further.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has said that if the government does not take their demands seriously and initiate talks, the organisation will decide on intensifying the agitation at a meeting scheduled for September 16.

The immediate issues include power supply during the paddy season and availability of fertilisers. However, KMM is also raising broader demands related to minimum support price, farm debt, river waters, land acquisition, drug abuse, unemployment and Centre-state relations.

The Morcha is demanding government procurement of basmati, maize, moong, mustard and potatoes at MSP, complete waiver of loans of farmers and farm labourers, and compensation and jobs for families of farmers and labourers who died by suicide. It has also sought a comprehensive policy to tackle floods, groundwater depletion and pollution.

Farmers have further demanded withdrawal of the state government’s land pooling policy, reopening of the Wagah trade route with Pakistan, and an end to what they allege is forced land acquisition for the Bharatmala project.

The protests will be held outside the residences of Harbhajan Singh ETO in Jandiala, Aman Arora in Sunam, Lal Chand Kataruchak in Bhoa, Ravjot Singh in Hoshiarpur, Gurmeet Singh Khuddian in Muktsar, Mohinder Bhagat in Jalandhar and Hardeep Singh Mundian in Ludhiana. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan’s residence in Faridkot will also be a protest venue.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH