Punjab farmers gathered on Tuesday, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), protesting over several issues, including fuel price increase. They held protests outside the district administrative complexes and other places, and submitted a memorandum to the authorities, addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
SKM-affiliated farm bodies, including Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal), also raised slogans against the Central government.
In the memorandum, the SKM sought withdrawal of a notification, which, it alleged, deprived Punjab of its permanent representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The farmers also demanded restoration of enhanced crop loan limits through cooperative societies, reduction in the prices of diesel, petrol and cooking gas, adequate availability of fertilisers, rollback of the increase in urea prices and restoration of subsidy benefits.
The memorandum called for a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for all crops in accordance with the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission and implementation of MSP based on the C2 plus 50 per cent formula.
Among other demands were debt relief for farmers and agricultural labourers, compensation for crop losses caused by floods, hailstorms, and unseasonal rains, and the withdrawal of the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill, 2025, and Seed Bill, 2025.
The farmers also sought the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers in connection with the Delhi farmers' agitation, implementation of a farmer-friendly crop insurance scheme, release of pending agricultural power connections, and formulation of a sustainable agriculture policy for Punjab.
The memorandum further demanded adequate compensation for land acquired for the infrastructure projects, reopening of trade routes through the Attari-Wagah and Hussainiwala border crossings, and a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for farmers, labourers and rural artisans above 58 years of age.
In Ludhiana, supporters of different factions of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha staged a protest outside the deputy commissioner's office in support of their demands. Protesters, carrying SKM flags, raised slogans against both the central and Punjab governments. They criticised the farm policies of both governments and alleged that those in power have failed to take concrete steps for the welfare of farmers.
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