Paddy procurement in Punjab, Haryana to start from today: Govt
Chandigarh: Hours after farmers started gathering outside Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's house and residences of other MPs and MLAs to protest the Centre's decision to delay paddy procurement, the CM said the process will commence from October 3.
The announcement came after Khattar, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and Agriculture minister J P Dalal reached New Delhi along with a battery of top government officials to seek a solution to the mounting pressure from the farmers. Before leaving for the national Capital, Khattar had said: "Farmers will not have to face any problem in paddy procurement."
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday held protests at many places against postponing paddy procurement. Apprehending law and order disruption, heavy police deployment was made outside the residences of Khattar in Karnal, Chautala in Sirsa and others in their respective constituencies. However, despite heavy police barricading, farmers broke the police cordons and reached outside the main gates of the residences.
To disperse the crowd, the police had to use water cannons at the farmers in Karnal but failed to stop them from reaching outside Khattar's residence. Despite police presence, a bunch of protesters climbed onto the first floor of the CM's residence and hoisted a Kisan-Ekta flag. They also shouted slogans.
Meanwhile, the police resorted to lathicharge on farmers near Chandimandir toll plaza on the Panchkula-Kalka-Shimla national highway when the protestors used tractors to break barricades and allegedly tried to run over personnel deployed on the highway. Several protestors were also detained.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Friday had given a call for holding protests outside the residences of legislators in both states to register their protest over the delay in purchasing paddy crop.
The Centre on Thursday postponed procurement of kharif paddy in Punjab and Haryana till October 11 as the crop maturity is delayed and moisture content in fresh arrival is beyond permissible limits owing to recent heavy rains.
The procurement operation is undertaken by the Central government's nodal agency Food Corporation of India (FCI) along with state agencies. Paddy procurement usually commences from October 1.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday urged the Railway Board Chairman to withdraw cases registered against farmer organisations by the Railway Protection Force (RPF).
The Punjab Chief Minister's Office (CMO) confirmed that Channi has requested the Chairman of the Railway Board to take a sympathetic view and consider the withdrawal of cases against the farmer organisations.
It should be noted that the RPF has registered at least 30 cases against farmer organisations in 2020 and 2021 during the 'dharnas' staged by them on the railway tracks in Punjab, agitating against the three farm laws, the CMO recalled.
In Punjab, on the other hand, farmers gathered outside the residences of several Congress legislators, including Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana K P Singh in Rupnagar and MLA Harjot Kamal in Moga and staged protests over delay in the purchase of paddy crop.
Police personnel were deployed in strength to maintain law and order, said officials.
Farmers expressed apprehension that they would suffer if their crop is not purchased at the grain markets.
Paddy crop, though in small quantity, has started arriving in mandis especially in border areas of Punjab, said farmers.
They questioned where the farmers, who have brought their crop at mandis, will go if their produce is not purchased.
Some fear that they would be forced to sell their crop below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to private traders.
At some places, farmers even handed over memorandum to the Deputy Commissioners demanding commencement of paddy purchase.
Tight security arrangement has been made outside the residence of minister Anil Vij at Ambala Cantonment, said officials.
Meanwhile, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, MoS, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, in Delhi said: "The procurement (of Kharif crops) will start from tomorrow in Haryana as well as Punjab."
He added: "Haryana's Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and a delegation of ministers have come and met me. They said that their preparations for paddy procurement are already in place and thus, we decided that the procurement shall begin from tomorrow (Sunday) so that farmers do not face any inconvenience."
After the meeting, Khattar said: "Throughout the day, they (farmers) held protests at several places across Haryana. We are also concerned and want the process to begin at the earliest. Thus, I, Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, Agriculture minister J P Dalal and various other MLAs had come to Delhi to meet the Union ministers. Now, since a decision has been made that the procurement will begin from tomorrow (Sunday), I hope they (farmers) will withdraw their agitation."
