Punjab’s farmer leaders to burn copies of farm bills tomorrow

Representatives of 30 Left-backed and other farmer rights organisations on Saturday announced that they will burn copies of the three farm bills passed by the Lok Sabha in Punjab on Sunday besides observing a state-wide bandh on September 25.

Jagmohan Singh, a member of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, said that the representatives who met at Moga agreed to extend support to the farmers’ agitation in neighbouring Haryana on September 20.

“Tomorrow, Punjab farmer association members will burn copies of farm bills in the state as a mark of protest,” he said.

On the Punjab bandh call given by Left-leaning farmer associations, he said besides shops and commercial establishments, railway and highway blockades would be part of the statewide protest from Friday morning till 4pm.

Harinder Singh of Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) said that the farmer leaders have decided to come on a single platform to oppose the passage of the bills and have resolved not to engage any political party in the agitation.

He said the further course of action would be decided next week after bringing non-political fronts together in the interest of the agrarian community.

“The meeting was organised to coordinate with other farmer organisations and forge a common platform to oppose the bills,” Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) BS Rajewal said earlier.

The representatives met at Nachattar Singh Hall in Moga on Saturday afternoon.

Harinder Singh said representatives of 13 farmer organisations had met at a gurdwara in Alamgir village near Ludhiana on Friday to discuss the course of action after the controversial legislation, including the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, were passed on Thursday. On Tuesday, the Lower House of Parliament passed a third legislation, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill.

“During the meeting on Friday, a five-member coordination committee was formed. It will coordinate with farmer unions of other states who are opposing the bills,” Rajewal said.