Labourers work at paddy grain, at the Grain Market in Jalandhar.
Credit: PTI Photo
Ludhiana/Kapurthala (Pb): Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Friday blocked roads at many places in Punjab to protest against the "tardy" paddy procurement and lifting.
The protest led to traffic disruptions and inconvenienced commuters at many places.
In Ludhiana, farmers staged dharnas on roads at several places, including Samrala, Khanna, Doraha, Machhiwara, Jagraon, Mullanpur and Raikot.
SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said, "Both the AAP government of Punjab and the BJP-led central government are equally responsible for this mess".
He said they should not play the blame game at the cost of farmers and the economy of the state.
They must rise to the occasion and perform their duties honestly in the interest of the farmers and the country, he added.
In Kapurthala, agitating farmers blocked traffic on the Jalandhar-Amritsar national highway at Hamira, at Dhilwan Toll plaza, Kapurthala-Goindwal road near village Mundi Maur and Kapurthala-Sultanpurlodhi road near New grain market.
While staging dharnas in the middle of the road to express their anger against the slow purchase and lifting of the Kharif crop, they alleged that farmers were being fleeced by private traders by offering them less than the minimum support price rates.
Punjab Kisan Union (Baghi) state general secretary Gurdeep Singh claimed their protest was going on at many places in Kapurthala.
The protest started at 11 am and would continue till 3 pm.
Meanwhile, the indefinite protest by farmers under the banner of Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba) in Phagwara entered the fifth day on Friday.
BKU(D) general secretary Satnam Singh Sahni said a massive rally and demonstration will be held here on Saturday. The BKU(D) is a constituent of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM).
The KMM on Thursday had said it would block roads at a few places in Punjab for an indefinite period from October 26 to protest 'tardy' paddy procurement and lifting and other issues.
Notably, paddy lifting from mandis in Punjab has been hit after the state rice millers refused to mill the paddy till their demands were met.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday had spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to address the issues of the state rice millers.
While the ruling AAP has blamed the BJP-led Centre for not evacuating foodgrain stock in the state to create sufficient space for storing fresh crop, the opposition parties Congress and Akali Dal lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government for the slow paddy procurement and lifting.