Several farmers’ associations gathered in Jalandhar to pay homage to Dr. MS Swaminathan, a renowned agronomist and agricultural scientist.
During this event these farmer groups united on a common platform and made an important announcement. They announced their intention to convene a joint meeting in Chandigarh on October 18 to resolve two key issues.
First, farmers intend to address the ongoing Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) issue, a long-standing water dispute between Punjab and Haryana. Secondly, they intend to develop a collective advocacy strategy for the implementation of the Swaminathan Report.
It is noteworthy that two prominent unions, namely Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ograhan) and BKU (Dalewal) did not attend the dedication ceremony of Dr. Swaminathan.
Punjab Kisan Sangharsh Committee President Kanwal Pal Singh asserted that Sunday’s gathering was a powerful show of unity among farmer unions. Their message to the authorities is clear: they are united and will continue to raise issues affecting the farmers of Punjab.
The leaders present at the event invited all unions including Ograhan and Dhaliwal to join the joint meeting in Chandigarh. The main focus of the meeting will be the SYL issue, which he believes should be resolved on the basis of the river principle.
Another prominent farmer leader, Satnam Singh Sindhu, strongly condemned the central and state governments. He accused them of engaging in political maneuvering on the SYL canal issue despite the dire water situation in Punjab.
BKU (Dakonda) state president Buta Singh Brijgal stressed that the true tribute to Dr. MS Swaminathan would be the full implementation of his report. The report calls for minimum support prices (MSP) for farmers, calculated using the C2 formula, which includes the cost of capital and land rental costs, to ensure Makes farmers get 50% profit on their cultivation cost.
Among their other demands, the unions demanded complete loan waiver for all farmers and agriculture workers, justice for Lakhimpur Kheri farmers and withdrawal of all cases filed against farmers. He also condemned the recent attacks on media houses during the event.
In summary, the farmers’ unions have united to address key issues facing Punjab’s agricultural community, including the SYL dispute and the implementation of the Swaminathan Report, and have called for a joint meeting in Chandigarh on October 18 to strategize on these issues. Who is
First Published: 10 Oct 2023, 15:06 IST