CM told ML Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala that the farmers who were protesting against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meeting in Karnal when the police rained lathis on them belonged to Haryana and not Punjab.

CM condemned Khattar’s comments to media and Chautala’s allegations of Punjab being behind the farmers’ agitation against the Farm Laws.

Responding to Khattar’s remark on farmer leaders giving him ladoos after the resolution of the sugarcane farmers’ protest, the Punjab Chief Minister quipped: “You repeal the Farm Laws and not just the farmers but even I will share ladoos with you.”

Blaming the BJP squarely for the farmers’ wrath, Captain Amarinder said the crisis would not have assumed such grave proportions had the BJP, including the Haryana CM and deputy CM, heeded the farmers’ concerns and empathised with their pain instead of taking refuge in shameful lies for the horrendous attacks on the peaceful farmers.

He trashed Khattar’s claim that the Haryana police used force only after the farmers disturbed the state’s law and order, pointing out that the viral video of the SDM giving explicit instructions to the cops to bash up the farmers nailed the CM’s lies. “How did the SDM know that the farmers intended to resort to stone pelting etc, as claimed by Khattar?” asked the Punjab Chief Minister.

“Can’t you see that the farmers of your own state are angry with you for your apathetic attitude towards them and your party’s stubborn refusal to repeal the Farm Laws?” he asked the Haryana leaders, adding that the farmers were fighting for their survival and did not need provocation from Punjab or any other state to protect themselves and their families.

The sentiment of the entire country was with the farmers in the matter of the draconian and blatantly undemocratic Farm Laws, imposed by the BJP-led central government in the midst of the Covid pandemic, pointed out Captain Amarinder, adding that the BJP’s adamant refusal to revoke the legislations reflected the vested interests of the party and its leadership, which had once again placed their crony capitalist friends over the common man.

“Repeal the Farm Laws instead of blaming Punjab for the mess your party has put the farming sector in,” said Captain Amarinder, warning that the BJP would have to pay for their sins in the upcoming Assembly elections in various states, and in every poll thereafter. The Khattar government’s repeated attempts to forcibly end the farmers’ agitation, and the derogatory and obnoxious terms used against farmers by various BJP leaders, will only backfire on their party, he added.

Recalling that the farmers had held protests across Punjab for two months before shifting focus to the Delhi borders, the Chief Minister pointed out that his state had not witnessed a single incident of violence during the period. “Even recently, when sugarcane farmers staged protests, we negotiated with them and resolved the issue instead of using brute force to try and subjugate them,” he added.

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A railway spokesperson said that on Thursday night it was informed that there was a call by BKU Doaba Unit to sit on a dharma to demand for a hike in MSP of sugar cane and for clearance of dues. Since this morning they have been sitting on the NH near gate S 70 near Dhanowali between Jalandhar- Chaheru section.

He said that a total of 107 trains got affected as of Saturday morning due to the protest causing a nuisance to commuters.

Railways cancelled 50 trains, diverted 18, short term 36 and some others, said railway spokesperson.

Punjab police have also diverted various routes in Jalandhar, Kartarpur and Phagwara as farmers blocked Amritsar-Jalandhar highway.

Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee had announced to start an indefinite protest from Friday across Punjab by blocking national highways and railway tracks two days back.

Following this, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday announced a hike of Rs. 15 per quintal in the State Agreed Price (SAP) of all sugarcane varieties for the crushing season, 2021-22.

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Agitating farmers said that cane growers in Haryana were getting Rs 48 more than what they were getting in Punjab and they demanded a higher rise in the price by rejecting the government’s Rs 15 hike.
They said that sugarcane in Haryana was Rs 350 last year and it had now been increased to Rs 358, but in Punjab, the sugarcane growers were still getting a price of Rs 310 per quintal for the past five years and this Rs 15 hike a day before the protest was just an attempt to curtail the protest.
Farmers demanded around Rs 50 hike at the sugarcane price from this season.
DCP (law and order) Jagmohan Singh said that they are trying to ensure that the commuters do not face much harassment and various routes have been diverted.

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Badal announced to start a 100-day yatra in 100 assembly constituencies of Punjab from today to reach out to all sections of society, including farmers, businessmen, youth, women, Dalits and the backward classes.

He announced to hold at least 700 public meetings during the yatra that started from the Zira segment.

Farmers under the banner of Bharti Kisan Union Krantikari attempted to stop the convoy of Badal on the outskirts of Zira but a heavy police force foiled their attempt. Following this, farmers showed Badal black flags and raised slogans against the Akali Dal chief.

Agitators said that farmers have been fighting for their rights for the past several months at Delhi borders but politicians have done nothing in this regard and now ahead of the polls, they are making tall promises to safeguard the farming and farmers.

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“To mark the completion of nine months of historic, continuous peaceful protests by lakhs of farmers, Samyukt Kisan Morcha has decided to hold a national convention on August 26,” a statement from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha said.

The umbrella body of over 40 farm unions said that all-India convention would witness participation of representatives of hundreds of farmers’ unions to make this event a success.

Thousands of farmers from across the country, particularly Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi borders, including Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, since November last year.

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The Delhi police had accused Sidhana in the Republic Day violence at the Red Fort following the farmers’ rally.

Issuing the order, a bench of Additional Sessions Judge Gagandeep Singh, asked the investigating officer to submit the video clip of the protest on which they were replying their investigation on.

The court also directed cops to submit a status report regarding the other accused those were named as instigators in the case.

Meanwhile, Sidhana’s interim protection from arrest shall continue till August 23.

Advocates Ramesh Gupta and Jasdeep Singh Dhillon told the court that Sidhana had requested protestors to remain peaceful during the protest. Moreover, he had a huge fan-following on the social media but he has never instigated protesters to turn violent in his briefings.

“Sidhana has also joined the investigation on multiple dates, giving his full co-operation,” they argued before the court.

GS Guraya, the Additional Public Prosecutor, however, argued that Sidhana had not been cooperating police with the investigation and sought for his custodial interrogation was required.

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Barring a few toll plazas in both states, toll collection has been remained suspended in the past several months as farmers’ unions announced indefinite protests near toll plazas demanding rollback of bills.

The protest has led to toll suspension in thirteen build-operate-transfer (BOT) national highways projects and eleven BOT state highways projects leading to an estimated aggregate revenue loss of Rs.4.80 crore per day as there was disruption of toll collections for state projects since October 2020 accentuated with no fees collection at toll plazas since December 2020.

Considering farmers’ agitation, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued a circular in July 2021, giving an extension of the concession period and reimbursement up to 50% of the actual cost (O&M and interest) beyond insurance besides others to firms. However, Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB), has yet not made a similar move.

Following estimated compensation from NHAI for 13 BOT toll projects would be Rs 1.60 crore per day thereby covering about 37% of loss of revenue.

Due to the present circumstances, the project worth Rs 4800 crore is on verge of termination. 9 out of 13 NHAI BOT projects in Punjab and Haryana were facing liquidity constraints.

Joginder Singh, President of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) said that farmers will continue their protest at the toll plazas and they would not allow them to operate till the time the BJP-led Union government accepts their demands.

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