Muktsar, August 28: The Punjab Arhtiya Association in a state-level protest rally at the local grain market on Tuesday asked the state government to roll back the “anti-arhtiya decisions” or it would observe a complete shutdown of grain markets across Punjab from September 1.
The arhtiyas had been observing strike regarding their various demands from Saturday across the state, but they suspended it on Tuesday after the state government fixed a meeting with them on August 31 in Chandigarh to take a final decision on the issues concerning them.
While addressing the rally, Vijay Kalra, president, Punjab Arhtiya Association, who is also a Congress leader, said they were against the money lending licence, deduction of 20 per cent of arhtiya’s commission to create a special fund for crops which get price lesser than the MSP, mandatory electronic weigh scale and some other issues.
Kalra said, “We met the Chairman of the Punjab State Farmers’ Commission and Chief Minister in this regard on Monday. They said the deduction of 20 per cent of our commission was a much higher amount and they would discuss it. Besides, I got a call from Capt Sandeep Sandhu, OSD to Chief Minister today. He informed that a four-member committee of ministers Brahm Mohindra, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Vijay Inder Singla was formed. The committee will discuss the issue with us.”
Source Tribune India
