Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday maintained that the registration of cases against six farmers for burning paddy stubble in Sangrur district was in itself proof that the Congress Government was putting down agitating farmers with a heavy hand. This, despite loud claims by the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh that no cases would be registered against farmers for burning stubble, said the SAD president Sukhbir Badal.
He said that it was condemnable that the Sangrur administration had registered cases against six farmers on the same day on which the Chief Minister had invited various farmer organizations for talks to Chandigarh.
“Yesterday’s developments show that the government wants to intimidate farmers into managing paddy straw themselves even as it told farmer organizations that it will not incentivize this exercise and will not allocate any money for this purpose,” he said.
Sukhbir maintained that the SAD was with the farmers and would stand by their side and not allow cases to be registered against them. “I appeal to all farmers to unite as one and take on this autocratic government which seeks to penalize you by making you pay Rs 5,000 per acre to manage paddy straw with the threat of cases and jail terms,” he added.
He also condemned the government for insulting farm leaders who had gone to meet the Chief Minister a day before. “The leaders were made to wait for three hours and then told that the Government would not spare any money to incentivize farmers to prevent them from burning paddy stubble which reflects Congress government’s anti-farmer bias which has been issuing warnings to farmers that their subsidies would be withdrawn in case they did not manage their paddy straw themselves,” he added.
SAD president asked the Congress Government to immediately release funds for incentivizing farmers up to Rs 5,000 per acre as per actual cost to manage paddy straw. Funds should also be released to young entrepreneurs to purchase straw reapers and other equipment needed to manage paddy straw besides giving go ahead for establishment of more bio mass plants in Punjab, he said.