Kisan Sangharsh Committee stages protest at Tapiala village, questions govt on MSP

Farmers under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee staged a protest at Tapiala village today, where the Chief Minister along with the Health Minister was expected to inaugurate a school as part of the Sikhya Kranti campaign.

Farmer leaders stated that they wanted to question the CM and the Health Minister about why the police force was used against farmers peacefully protesting at Haryana borders. Sangharsh committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “We want them to clear their stand on the legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP). We wanted to ask them about what happened to their statement that if the Centre did not give the MSP, then the state government would give it.”

The protesters also demanded cancellation of membership of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Gurpal Ghanur. “The MLA and his men were directly involved in the theft of tractor trailers and other equipment of farmers from Haryana borders,” said Pandher.

The protesters also criticised the government for its Sikhya Kranti programme. “The government has asked the school teachers to use a picture of the Chief Minister with Sikhya Kranti written on it on their social media profiles. How would this help in improving the standard of education?” asked Pandher.

He added that a similar situation had arisen with regard to their drive ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’. “Send any of the your police officer or civil administration official to our villages and we will show them that drugs are being sold without any fear of law,” said the sangharsh committee leader, adding that instead of running a government, the chief minister was busy running a media campaign.

Meanwhile, the All-India Kisan Federation has announced the constitution of a committee of representatives from 13 states to spearhead the movement for demand of MSP and other issues. Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala of the federation said that there was a need for the farmers of the entire country to unite against the pro-corporate policies of the Centre and state governments.

Amritsar