In Punjab, two farmer unions announced to conduct protests on Sunday after the state government declared private silos as wheat procurement centres. Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha think that this move of the government will make grain markets redundant.
The unions highlighted that they will burn effigies of both the central and Punjab government over the issue on April 7. Apart from SKM (Non-Political) and KMM, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers' agitation against the now-repealed farm laws, earlier announced that it will hold protests over the issue on April 9.
The Punjab's AAP government, in its order on March 15, had declared 11 silos, being managed by private companies, as purchase centres given the Rabi marketing season that started on April 1. A steel silo is a scientific way of storage of foodgrains and ensures better preservation in comparison to conventional storage warehouses. A silo also can act as a purchasing centre where farmers can bring their crops for sale.
Addressing media persons here on Tuesday, SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal condemned the decision to declare corporate silos in nine districts as procurement centres for wheat storage in Punjab.
He said the Punjab government has “acted at the behest of the Centre”, claiming this was an attempt to make the 'mandis' (grain markets) redundant.
KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher accused the AAP government of trying to please corporations by allowing the sale, purchase, and storage of wheat at private silos. Pandher said he had “no doubt” that it was a central government policy but added that the state government could have stopped its implementation.
He urged farmers to not bring their crops to these silos for sale.
Both the leaders also demanded the release of five farmers including Ravinder Singh Ravi, and Amarjit Singh, both from Punjab, who were arrested during the ongoing protest. Pandher said they will burn effigies of the Modi government and the Bhagwant Mann government on April 7 over the issue.
If their demands to roll back the decision on corporate silos and the release of the five farmers were not accepted by April 7, then they will hold a ‘rail roko’ agitation on April 9, Pandher said.
SKM (Non-Political) and KMM are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers to press the government to accept their demands which includes a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. The protesting farmers who have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after their march was stopped by security forces on February 13 have also demanded the release of five arrested farmers by the Haryana police.
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