Fazilka, October 6: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Sidhupura) organised a “Kisan Jagrit Rally” at the Grain Market in Mandi Roranwali in the district today. A large number of farmers participated.
The farmers demanded that the state government should pay Rs300 per quintal as bonus on paddy otherwise they would be compelled to burn the paddy stubble. “We are left with no other alternative but to burn the paddy straw if the farmers are not paid Rs300 per quintal as bonus,” said Kaka Singh Kotra, vice-president of the state unit of the union.
He rued that the government was trying to thrust upon the decision of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the farmers not to burn paddy straw in an arbitrary manner without taking the reality into consideration, which was uncalled for.
District president of the BKU Uday Singh Ghuriana accused the state government of turning a blind eye towards the genuine problems of the farmers regarding managing eco-friendly disposal of the straw in their fields. He also favoured the demand of paying bonus of Rs300 per quintal.
State president of the BKU Jagjit Singh Dalewal said the farmers had been heading toward bankruptcy as they were not being paid the price of their produce in accordance to their input cost and inflation rate.
Dalewal said the farmers were going to initiate a massive agitation in the country seeking implementation of the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission. He flayed lathicharge on the farmers staging protest in Delhi recently.
 organised a “Kisan Jagrit Rally” at the Grain Market in Mandi Roranwali in the district today.){kind=link}