Punjab BJP delegation meets governor, submits memorandum blaming AAP govt for ‘late’ paddy uprising

Members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta) Ugraha block a road near the residence of former MP and BJP leader Preneet Kaur during a protest, in Patiala, Saturday, October 19, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI

A delegation of Punjab BJP leaders on Sunday (October 27, 2024) met Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and submitted a memorandum alleging inefficiency on the part of the AAP government in the state over the “late” rice lift.

The delegation urged the Governor to intervene and ensure the complete lifting of rice from mandis as a “gift” to the farmers of the State so that they can “celebrate Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas with their families”.

The memo said: “Due to inefficiency on the part of the Punjab government, even after 26 days of official start of rice procurement, the The Punjab government has failed to remove most of the rice. of mandis across the state.

Procurement of rice for Kharif marketing season 2024-25 began in Punjab from October 1, according to the BJP delegation that included Avinash Rai Khanna, Preneet Kaur, Harjit Singh Grewal, Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Vijay Sampla , Vineet Joshi and Fateh Jang Bajwa.

“Before the start of the season, in the last week of September, the Punjab government received Rs 44,000 crore for the purchase of rice at MSP from the central government,” the memo said.

The BJP memorandum further alleges that the Punjab government has miserably failed to make all necessary arrangements in time to ensure smooth procurement of paddy – be it purchase of gunny bags, tarpaulins or notification of milling policy personalized or FRK (fortified rice) notification. grains) milling policy or awarding of labor or transportation contracts, etc.

The state government has also failed to ensure drinking water, sanitation facilities and mandatory medical facilities in Mandis, the memorandum said.

The government’s biggest failure is its inability to reach an agreement with 5,500 rice millers for rice milling, he said.

“Now, the ongoing rice procurement crisis in Punjab has become a serious law and order issue,” he said.

“The farmers who have been protesting since the first week of October, have now increased the intensity of their agitation for 15 to 20 days and are now blocking national and state highways and local highways. This has caused great inconvenience to the people of Punjab. during the festive season,” he said.

Notably, farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha on Saturday staged road blockades in some places in Punjab for an indefinite period to protest the “late” procurement and lifting of rice and other issues.

The protests were held at Badarukhan on Sangrur-Bathinda highway in Sangrur, Dagru on Moga-Ferozepur highway in Moga, Satiali Phul on Gurdasour-Tanda highway in Gurdaspur and Batala railway station, the farmers said.

Seeking the Governor’s intervention to put an end to the “late” procurement of rice, the BJP delegation’s memorandum said: “We request your good person to intervene and ensure complete removal of rice from the mandis and give away to the farmers of Punjab happiness to celebrate Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas”. with their families, the BJP urged the governor to ask the Punjab government to take all necessary steps to ensure adequate supply of DAP and urea for the upcoming sowing season “as this is the next imminent disaster that Punjab will face “.

In particular, the extraction of rice from mandis (wholesale markets) in Punjab was affected after state rice millers refused to mill rice until their demands were met.

Rice millers have expressed concern over the production rate (post-mill yield) of the PR-126 variety and other hybrid varieties, alleging that it will cause them huge losses.

BJP leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday lashed out at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for “late” procurement of rice in the state, alleging that the latter “turned his back on farmers” who face difficulties in the mandis.