With an ultimatum to reopen all the sugar mills by November 23, Rashtriya lok Dal (RlD) held a rally at Sugarcane Commissioner Office in lucknow on Thursday, November 21. The state head of RlD, Munna Singh Chauhan said that the RlD with farmers will not allow CM Akhilesh Yadav to take part in a program at Meerut , which is proposed on November 24.
Agitating over last year's pending payment of Sugarcane to the Farmers and delay in crushing process, a 11 member delegation of RlD leaders held a meeting with the Sugarcane Commissioner, where they had been assured that crushing would begin between November 25 to 30.
"We had taken our demonstration back after assurance from the authorities that crushing would start soon and farmers will be paid the year long held payment with interest. However, we will gherao Chief Minister on his visit to Meerut on November 24" said Chauhan.
Ridiculing the Sugarcane price for this year, Chauhan said that despite Sugarcane Research Institute's report of Rs 23 per quintal extra investment on sugarcane production for this year, Samajwadi Party lead state government had offered the last year's price to the farmers.
"Despite 27 percent of increment on the sugarcane production from this year, the state government is offering the same price to the farmers as it had offered last year. This is joke with farmers and RlD criticises that. We have decided to ghearo the Chief Minister during his Meerut visit, where he will have to answer the farmers of the state" said Chauhan.