Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 23

The Punjab Government and Centre are heading for a face-off on the issue of making direct payment to farmers for the upcoming rabi marketing season.

Even as the issue remains unresolved, the arhtiyas, through whom the payments are traditionally made to farmers, have threatened to go on an indefinite strike from April 1. While the Centre is insistent that the payment for purchase of wheat crop from the farmers will be made directly to them through an electronic transfer into their bank accounts, the state government wants that the payments be made in the accounts of the arhtiyas who in turn will transfer this payment into the farmers’ bank accounts with each payment being recorded in the Public Finance Management System.

A meeting to sort out the issue was held between officers of the state government and the Centre in Delhi in the evening today, but the stalemate continues with both sides refusing to budge. Official sources have told The Tribune that a subsequent meeting to try and resolve the issue would again be held later this week.

Punjab Food Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu told The Tribune that they have pleaded with the Centre that direct payment to farmers should be optional. “Farmers themselves do not want the direct payment and are okay with the payment coming to them through the arhtiyas. Just as in the case of Haryana, Punjab should be allowed to make it optional,” he said.

This year, Rs 24,400 crore is estimated to be transferred to farmers in the state for purchase of 132 lakh tonnes of wheat. Officials in the state government say that restricting the role of arhtiyas could create multiple problems in a well-established procurement and mandi system.

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, February 23

A 50-year-old farmer from Pakki Tibbi village in Lambi here on Tuesday destroyed his wheat crop on three acres in protest against the three farm laws.

A former sarpanch of Pakki Tibbi village whose family is settled in the USA, Mahima Singh Sandhu said, “With a heavy heart, I have destroyed my wheat crop today. I own nearly 50 acres. As a symbolic protest against the Centre and to awaken Prime Minister Narendra Modi from deep slumber, I took this step today.”

Asked when the farmer leaders are appealing to farmers not to destroy standing crops, what was the reason to destroy his crop, he said, “I don’t want other farmers to follow me. But it was important to give a message to the Centre that the farmers can sacrifice anything for the success of the ongoing agitation.”

Meanwhile, Satnam Singh, another farmer from the village, said, “We are not challenging Narendra Modi but giving him a message. We just want that our message goes across the country.”

This is the first such incident in the state wherein a farmer has destroyed his crop in protest against the three farm laws

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Sukhmeet Bhasin
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, February 23

Challenging security agencies, R-Day violence wanted accused Lakha Sidhana, who has been on the run since January 26, today addressed a rally at Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s native Mehraj village in Bathinda and gave a call to intensify the agitation.

Lakha Sidhana had been on the stage for around one hour, but no attempt was made by the police to arrest him. The Delhi Police have announced Rs 1 lakh reward for giving his information.

Daring the police to come and arrest any Punjabi youth booked in the R-Day violence case, Sidhana appealed to people to gherao them if police personnel come to arrest anyone in their village or city. If the Punjab Police accompany them, then Capt Amarinder would be responsible about it.

“The huge gathering at Mehraj is a message for Delhi. Register cases against us, arrest us and beat us up, but we will win this fight,” he added.

Lakha also claimed, “We will not accept the suspension of laws for three or four years as public movements will not be built again. We will win and come back only after repealing the laws.”

Taking a dig at BKU leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, Lakha said, “When the media ask question to him about Deep Sidhu and Lakha Sidhana, he says no comment, he doesn’t stand by us. But we will not allow any police team to arrest any farmer leader.” He said traders, commission agents and everyone should participate as these laws would hit each and everyone hard.

Lakha also clarified that he was not holding any separate programme, he stood by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha. He appealed to them to plan a bigger agitation.

After addressing the gathering, Lakha ran away on the motorcycle from the spot.

Thousands of people started reaching the venue to hear Lakha Sidhana. Youngsters were seen wearing t-shirt with photos of Sidhana and Deep Sidhu.

AAP MLA from Kotkapura Kultar Singh was also attended the rally, but did not address it.

Capt. Amarinder to lead Congress in 2022 Punjab Polls, says Jakhar
Chandigarh, February 22, 2021 :  Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President, Sunil Jakhar, on Monday said that Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh would lead the party in the 2022 assembly polls, as the people of the state had reposed their faith in his leadership with their landslide verdict in Congress’ favour in the recent civic polls.

While participating in the event for the launch of various developmental projects worth Rs 1087 crores by the Chief Minister, under the Smart City and AMRUT schemes, Jakhar said, “the Congress party’s sweeping victory in the civic polls has not only revalidated Captain Amarinder’s leadership in the state but was an endorsement of the faith of Punjabis in his future leadership also”. He said the state Congress had already launched mission “#Captainfor2022”, and the next elections would be fought under his leadership.

Lauding the chief minister, Jakhar said Captain Amarinder had led the state in very difficult times and the people were well aware of his massive contribution. “Punjab is perhaps facing its worst ever crisis – Covid, farmers’ unrest due to the black farm laws, coupled with an unfriendly union government – and only Captain Amarinder Singh had the vision and leadership qualities to the steer the state out of it”,  he said.

Lambasting the union government for its stepmotherly treatment to Punjab, Jakhar said the centre had resorted to all kinds of measures, including economic blockade, to punish the state for supporting the farmers’ agitation. He said the federal structure of the country was under extreme threat under the BJP led national government. He also questioned the recent decision of the union government to refuse permission to a jatha to go to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and accused the centre of being biased against the state.

While complimenting the Chief minister for launching projects aimed at development of urban areas, Jakhar said there had been. a growing though incorrect perception that this government was only working for the rural areas. He said though Punjab is an agrarian economy, the massive development works that have started in the urban areas would dispel this perception.

Jakhar also urged the chief minister to ensure that the Congress manifesto for 2022 should promise making Amritsar – the ‘Guru ki Nagri’ – an iconic city. “Amritsar should be made as one of the best cities in the World on the lines of the Vatican”, he said.

Punjab Youth Congress President, Barinder Singh Dhillon, termed the inauguration of these projects as a grand start after the victory in the MC elections. He said that the landslide victory reflects the enormous faith the people of Punjab have in the leadership of the Chief Minister. He said only Captain Amarinder Singh can take the state forward and maintain social and communal harmony. “You will have to contest the 2022 Vidhan Sabha election as Punjab needs your stewardship”, said Barinder Singh Dhillon.

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/New delhi, Feb 21

On a day the BJP, at its first meeting of new office-bearers, passed a resolution thanking the PM for reforms in the agriculture sector, farm unions held a massive rally in Barnala on Sunday, a clear indication that the farm stir has not lost steam and that the protesters are prepared for a long haul.http://

At the ‘maha rally’, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha leaders gave a call to Punjabis to reach Delhi in large numbers on February 27 when the agitation completes three months.

They appealed to the women to celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8) at Singhu and Tikri.

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Seating arrangements for the rally were made on a 9 lakh sq ft area. Despite police arrangements for managing traffic, there were massive traffic jams. Joginder Singh Ugrahan called the January 26 incident a government plot. “A group was acting on the directions of the authorities. Its members had raised the Khalistan issue earlier. This stir is about saving livelihoods not only in Punjab but across India,” he stresssed. It was for the first time that Sanyukt Kisan Morcha leaders spoke from the BKU (Ugrahan) dais.