Cane growers' plight rocks UP Council,state-wide protests held

Sugarcane growers' plight in Uttar Pradesh today rocked the Legislative Council amid widespread protests in several parts of the state, even as another farmer allegedly committed suicide in Lakhimpur Kheri.
Though opposition parties claimed that Chhotey Lal (50) took the extreme step driven by the cane crisis, his brother Chiraunji said he hanged himself in the village under Neemgaon police station area on Tuesday night due to family dispute.
Raising the issue in the Upper House, opposition parties created an uproar over problems of cane farmers, leading to adjournment of the House for the day.
Members of main opposition BSP trooped into the Well on the plight of cane farmers and law and order issues. The issue was also raised by BJP and RLD members.

BJP Kisan Morcha staged a demonstration in front of cane commissioner's office to demand payment of arrears among other issues related to sugarcane growers.
"Members of Kisan Morcha locked the cane commissioner's office early in the morning and staged a dharna led by the state president Laxmi Kant Bajpai," BJP chief spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.

Addressing the dharna Bajpai alleged that the situation was such that farmers were forced to commit suicide.
He threatened to intensify the agitation if the government did not take any early decision.
Pathak said Cane Commissioner Subhash Chandra Sharma later promised to get mills operational by December 10 and ensure payment of cane arrears soon.