Kurukshetra: Hundreds of farmers under the banner of BKU (Charuni) and other farm organisations held a protest rally at Pipli grain market on Monday, opposing the proposed India-US trade deal and raising a set of agrarian demands.The rally, held on the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, saw participation from farmers across Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.BKU (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni, who addressed the gathering virtually due to an injury, criticised the proposed trade agreement, alleging it would adversely impact Indian agriculture. Several speakers at the rally echoed similar concerns and called for a united protest.Farmers demanded scrapping of the proposed trade deal, a legal guarantee of MSP on all crops, loan waivers, and withdrawal of proposed amendments related to seeds and electricity. They also sought a CBI probe into the alleged paddy procurement scam in Haryana and a Rs 150 per quintal bonus on wheat on the lines of Rajasthan.Kurukshetra deputy commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena and SP Nitish Aggarwal reached the venue and assured farmers that a meeting with chief minister Nayab Singh Saini would be held on April 2 to discuss their demands.The DC also said suggestions from farmer unions on wheat procurement would be considered and that geofencing would be implemented to ensure transparency in the upcoming procurement season. He added that the administration would examine withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during previous protests, subject to approvals where required.MSID:: 129754286 413 |
