Punjab: Farmers' Unions Temporarily Call Of Protest After CM Mann Accepts 'Most Of The Demands'

Farmers had announced earlier, to block national highways at three places in Majha, Malwa and Doaba regions on August 3 if the state government failed to address their issues.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal, BKU Sidhupur ( Image Source :ANI )

New Delhi: The farmers' union on Tuesday called off their proposed protest on Wednesday, August 3, after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accepted “most of their demands”. This decision was taken after a four-hour-long meeting with farmer leaders led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur) president Jagjit Singh Dallewal with the CM at the Punjab Bhawan Monday, according to PTI.

Farmers had announced earlier, to block national highways at three places in Majha, Malwa and Doaba regions on August 3 if the state government failed to address their issues, including non-payment of sugarcane dues. 

While speaking with the media after the meeting, CM Mann said, “I am committed to farmers' welfare, and during my tenure, they won't have to stage protests for their genuine demands,” PTI reported.

Mann said sugarcane dues stand at Rs 195.60 crore out of which Rs 100 crore will be paid by August 15 and the remaining Rs 95.60 crore will be cleared by September 7. He added that the pending government and cooperative sugar mills payment will also be cleared by September 7.

Mann said all private sugar mills, except Phagwara mill, have assured that they will pay arrears by September 7. The Phagwara sugar mill owed Rs 72 crore to farmers and a sum of Rs 20 crore would be realised after auctioning its land.

Meanwhile, speaking to ANI, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, BKU Sidhupur said, "Most of our demands have been accepted. We have temporarily suspended our protest. We have been assured that the arrears will be cleared by September 7. Our next meeting will be on September 7".

Mann has also agreed to withdraw cases registered against the farmers during the Covid-19 pandemic, or for stubble burning and agitation. 

Regarding cases registered by the Railway Police Force against farmers during their agitation, Mann said he would take up the matter with the government of India.

Mann also told the PTI, that the process to give jobs to the family members of farmers who lost their lives during the agitation is going on, adding that all the remaining families of farmers will also be handed over compensation soon.

 

 

(With PTI and ANI inputs)