SKM's 3-day protest: Farmer leaders to meet Punjab governor on Tuesday

Citing an example, he said, In Bihar, farmers get Rs 800 to 1,200 a quintal for paddy.

Farmers' representatives will meet Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit over their various demands on Tuesday, the last day of their three-day protest under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a farmer leader said.

Scores of farmers gathered at the Mohali-Chandigarh border to press the Centre to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops.

The protesting farmers are demanding the withdrawal of cases filed against them during the 2020-21 stir against the now-repealed farm laws, compensation and jobs for a family member of the farmers who died during the stir, debt waiver, and pension.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha is an umbrella body of several farmer unions.

Addressing the media here, farmer leader Harmeet Singh Kadian said Governor Purohit has called them for a meeting on Tuesday.

''We will give our memorandum to the governor at 11 am on Tuesday,'' he said.

Farmer leaders said the next course of action of the SKM will be decided on Tuesday.

Kadian, however, said they have not received any response from the Punjab government regarding their state-related demands.

He said they have already apprised the administration about their demands.

Farmers are demanding disbursement of compensation for crop loss caused by floods in July and August, purchase of crops like maize, moong, sugarcane on assured price, Rs 450 a quintal of sugarcane price, release of pending cane payment and withdrawal of cases registered against farmers for stubble burning.

Meanwhile, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait participated in the protest and said farmers' agitations are going on in the entire country.

He stressed on giving legal guarantee to the MSP, saying farmers in several states were not getting the assured price for their crops.

Tikait said it was a big demand of growers. Citing an example, he said, ''In Bihar, farmers get Rs 800 to 1,200 a quintal for paddy. The same situation is with wheat, bajra and maize.'' Seeking debt waiver, the farmer leader said farmers in the country have Rs 15 lakh crore of debt.

More than 30 farmers' bodies including Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), BKU (Lakhowal), BKU (Dakunda) which are part of the SKM are participating in the protest, which began Sunday.

Heavy security arrangements have been made because of the protest and traffic diverted through alternative routes.

Farmers from Haryana also converged at Sector 5 in Panchkula where police personnel have been deployed in strength.

Farmers from many parts of Punjab on Sunday began gathering on the Mohali-Chandigarh border near the Phase-11 in Mohali.

They came on tractor trolleys, cars and other vehicles with a cargo of essential items such as ration, bedding, utensils, cooking gas, and cylinders for the three-day protest.

Farmers have erected tents and set up a stage in the middle of the road for farmer leaders to address the protesters.

The Punjab and Chandigarh Police have beefed up security near the Mohali-Chandigarh border, erecting barricades and stationing water cannons. Police forces of Chandigarh and Mohali have already issued traffic advisories in view of the protest.