Congress Deputy leader in the lok Sabha, Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday staged a protest dharna outside the official residence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to press for payments to sugarcane growers and to protest the delay in payment of compensation to farmers whose crops were damaged in unseasonal rains and floods in the state.
In his protest, Capt Amarinder was supported by the Congress legislature Party (ClP) leader Sunil Jakhar, 29 sitting legislatures, besides former MlAs, and other senior leaders. leaders, owing allegiance to Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa, decided to stay away.
Clearly bringing to fore the factionalism within the party, former chief minister and senior party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal was also conspicuous by her absence.
Donning blue safari suit, Badal arrived at the entry gate of his official residence to receive Capt Amarinder and other party leaders dot-on-time, at 11 am, well before the arrival of “guests”. Showing his magnanimity, Badal ensured proper arrangements for tea-water, spreading durries and installing tent for the “protestors” due to high humidity level and scorching sun shining bright.
Badal said that he was ready to accord warm welcome to the former Chief Minister and his party colleagues, but they didn’t turn up on the scheduled time.
However, Badal had to leave beforehand at 11:20 am to meet a high level foreign delegation. But he left with a promise to come back soon. “I am punctual in every public function or meeting by nature and thus could not afford to miss or reach late especially on such pre-scheduled meetings or engagements,” he said, adding that he would again come to meet them after this meeting and it would have been much better had they come inside to discuss this issue over a cup of tea in a cordial manner. The courtesy, extended by Badal, did not prevent Capt Amarinder from making his point. He staged a sit-in by refusing to sit on durries provided by Badal, but on road.
Patiala Royal made it clear to his age-old arch-rival that they were there to protest against “Government’s apathy towards the farmers”, and not to enjoy his tea. Capt Amarinder maintained that CM was running away from his responsibility towards the sugarcane farmers by not providing any bonus to them after fixing the State Approved Price (SAP) of sugarcane at `295 per quintal against the central Governments Fair Ruminative Price (FRP) of `220 per quintal.
The former Chief Minister said that Punjab farmers were suffering due to the State Government’s apathy. “Badal Government has failed to pay compensation to the farmers whose wheat crops were damaged, whereas sugarcane farmers have not been paid for their produce since December last year,” he said. After Capt Amarinder announced his protest plan on Wednesday, the Badal Government announced the release of `90 crore payment for sugarcane farmers. The Badal Government also promised to release another `90 crore to farmers next month.
Referring to `90 crores released by the Badal Government for the cooperative sugar mills, he remarked, “It was too little and too late”.
“The nine cooperative sugar mills in Punjab are crushing only 30 percent sugarcane while 70 percent is crushed by the private millers. By releasing `90 crores of the pending `180 crores, that too after I announced to hold dharna in front of his house, Badal has solved the problem of 15 per cent farmers only, while the fate of 85 percent farmers still hangs in balance,” he said.
Capt Amarinder said, in order to save the sugarcane farming in Punjab it was important for the Punjab Govt to provide subsidy to the farmers on the pattern of other states. He warned, in case the Government failed to provide subsidy to the farmers, the sugar mills will close down thus hitting about two lakh sugarcane growing farmers in the state.