Cong to hold protests tomorrow over delay in crushing

Taking a serious note of the delay in crushing by sugar mills, thus aggravating problems of farmers, Congress today decided to hold state-wide dharnas tomorrow.
"Sugar mills have not yet started crushing proving the collusion between the state government and millers.. Cane is lying in the fields and farmers are either on warpath or committing suicide," UPCC spokesman Dwijendra Tripathi said.
Taking note of these, UPCC president Nirmal Khatri has directed partymen to hold dharnas at all district headquarters tomorrow and highlight the problems of farmers, Tripathi said.
Alleging that state government had betrayed farmers, Tripathi said on one hand sugarcane farmers have still not been paid dues worth Rs 2,350 crore, on the other, mills are working in an arbitrary manner, fixing rates of their choice.

Tripathi said if positive steps were not taken to resolve farmers' problems, a massive protest would be held in Varanasi on December 26 and 27.