Ahead of Dec 23 meet with Channi, farmers say debt waiver, cancellation of FIRs key
Farmers meeting Punjab CM have got their official invitation for December 23; they gathered on Saturday to finalise the issues they want to raise, of which debt waiver and cancellation of FIRs is main demand
Ludhiana Ahead of farmers’ meeting with Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on December 23, members of 32 farm unions, part of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), met in Mullanpur Dakha (district Ludhiana) on Saturday to finalise their agenda.
“Farm debt waiver, cancellation of FIRs lodged against farmers during agitation and low compensation given for land acquired for highway projects major issues that we will take up,” said farm leaders Harinder Lakhowal, Prem Singh Bhangu, Hardev Singh Sandhu, Kirpa Singh and Kiranjit Singh Sekhon
Bhangu added, “The state government had assured us that FIRs lodged against farmers during the stir in the state will be cancelled and the issue of cases lodged in Chandigarh will be taken up with the governor. Nothing has happened.”
The government will be pressured to regularise contractual employees, who have been on protest across the state. Farmers said they also demand the suspension of the DSP who cane-charged protesting ETT Teachers. Lakhowal added and they will also demand compensation for land acquired for projects at current market rates. Farm leaders added that protests from toll plazas will not be lifted, till the hike in charges was not rolled back.
‘No final decision on political plunge yet’
With farm leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni announcing the launch of a political party to contest state elections in Chandigarh on Saturday, farmers from the 32 organisations said it was Chaduni’s individual decision, with the SKM having nothing to do with it. Bhangu added, “A final decision will be taken in the next meeting of SKM.”
Before attending the meeting, farm leader Balbir Singh Rajewal visited Jama Masjid in Field Ganj (Ludhiana city), where the Muslim community felicitated him. Rajewal stated that the agitation against the Centre had not ended, but had only been suspended. He refrained from commenting on Chaduni’s decision or on farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s over Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) remarks.