AAP holds protest in Pb over govt's 'apathy' towards farmers

Activists of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today staged dharnas in the grain markets in the state to protest against Punjab government's alleged "apathy" towards farmers, especially paddy growers.
Protests were held at Nawanshahr, Balachaur and Banga in Nawanshahr district and Phagwara and Moga, reports here said.
Charanjit Singh Channi, Brig (retd) Raj Kumar and Harjot Kaur, who will contest from Nawanshahr, Balachaur and Banga assembly segments respectively on AAP ticket in the upcoming Punjab assembly polls, led these dharnas.
In Nawanshahr, the activists first gathered at the party office on Saloh Road and from there they proceeded to the grain market.

Addressing protestors, the speakers, including Channi, lambasted the Badal government for its alleged failure to make timely payments to the farmers for the procured paddy.
They held the alleged "embezzlement of Rs 12,000 crore funds by the Badal government responsible for the present financial crunch in the state".

They alleged that due to this food scam, banks led by State Bank of India had stopped lending money to the Punjab government for further procurement.
The speakers also targeted Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh, saying he was making "shallow promises" just to get the reins of the state.
In Balachaur mandi, Kumar started the dharna at around 3.30 PM.

AAP leader S P S Mrar alleged that paddy growers were being harassed in mandis.
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Meanwhile, AAP state convenor Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi said the government is harassing farmers by "delaying" the procurement process and not paying the paddy sum to them.
"Due to the anti-farmers policies of centre and state governments, the farmers across the country are in bad financial condition. It is the right time to implement the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission to save the farmers. But Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is discouraging the farmers by saying that agriculture is not a profitable occupation in Punjab now," he said.