Plans to run the toll plazas on the highways in Punjab after the end of the farmers’ year-long agitation against the Centre’s contentious farm laws have been brought to a screeching halt by the farmers. Refusing to vacate the toll plazas on Wednesday while lifting all other “pucca morchas”, the farmers have made it clear that in their journey to success, a common commuter cannot be made to suffer because of the proposed hike in the toll charges.
The representatives of Punjab’s 32 farmer unions lifted nearly 100 “pucca morchas” (permanent protest sites) from outside the residences of BJP leaders, company-owned petrol pumps, retail outlets, shopping malls, parking lots of railway stations, among others by organising Fateh (victory) rallies and Fateh march — celebrating the farmers’ victory in the year long struggle against the Central Government.
However, the state’s farm outfits refuse to lift their dharnas from the toll plazas, until they get “clarity” over the toll charges. The decision came amidst the reports that the toll companies has decided to increase the charges — by about 40 percent, to compensate the loss it has suffered during the period of year-long agitation.
“The burden that these toll companies wanted to put on the people by increasing the toll rates is not acceptable to us...The old fees should continue otherwise our mochas will continue at all toll plazas across Punjab,” declared BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan, whose outfit also led a massive march at the state’s toll plazas.
After the farmers announced to suspend the agitation and lift all dharnas, the toll companies planned to increase the toll charges.
Punjab’s farmers, in a collective decision, have decided that in case the authorities or the managements of toll plazas increase the toll rates in Punjab on the ground that they suffered losses due to the fact that the farmers were sitting at the tolls for more than a year and allowed free movement of traffic, the farmers will sit on the toll plazas and will allow toll-free movement of all vehicles.
“We had warned the toll companies against increasing the charges...We cannot put the public to inconvenience...We will launch a stir at all toll plazas while continue to allow the toll-free movement of all vehicles,” said Ugrahan, adding that we want the Government to issue clarification on toll charges, and till then, we will continue the dharnas.
“We won one battle after repealing the black laws. But, our fight, after coming back home, has just begun,” said BKU Kadian’s national spokesperson Ravneet Singh Brar.
He said: “Since the toll plazas are to be opened again, we demand the rates to remain the same as before. Just to fill the pockets of a few, we cannot burden the common man. In case, there is hike in price of the toll plaza, we won’t let it open. We will continue our dharnas. We are here to fight for the common people, and we will fight for every injustice.”
The farm unions are of the view that in case the toll rates have to be increased, two or three percent hike is acceptable as the government increases the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat.
PUCCA MORCHAS LIFTED AFTER OVER 400 DAYS IN PUNJAB
The farmers from Punjab were the first one to raise voice against the Centre’s three farm laws, and started dharnas at several locations from October 1, 2020. As the agitation intensified, the dharnas turned permanent (pucca) at more than 200 places.
With the Centre bowing down before the farmers’ demand and finally repealing the contentious acts, the number came down to 108. As on Wednesday, all these morchas, except those at the toll plazas, were lifted with marriage-like celebrations, amidst dancing on the beats of dhols and drums, carrying out victory marches and victory rallies.
STATEWIDE RAIL ROKO PROTEST FROM DEC 20
Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) on Wednesday announced a state-wide rail roko protest from December 20, demanding complete loan waiver, among other “equally important” demands.
The KMSC on Wednesday held a convention in Udho Nangal in Amritsar district following which it decided to hold the rail roko to demand 100 per cent loan waiver of farmers and labourers, compensation and a job to the next of kin of those who had died during the farm agitation, plus balance payment of sugarcane dues.
CM TO MEET FARM UNIONS ON DEC 16, 17
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi will hold two meetings with the farmer unions over the next two days — first after the farmers’ return to
home.
The first meeting will be held on December 16 with BKU Ugrahan—the biggest farm union of the state. Another meeting will be held on December 17 with 32 farmer unions of
Punjab.