Punjab farmers end protest, warn of 'bigger agitation' if promises not met

More than 30 farmers' bodies from Punjab, including Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), BKU (Lakhowal), and BKU (Dakunda) which are part of the SKM participated the protest which began on Sunday

Farmers who had gathered at Mohali and Panchkula along Chandigarh's borders on Tuesday ended their three-day protest after their meetings with Punjab and Haryana governors, but warned the Centre of a "bigger agitation" if it does not show "seriousness" towards their pending demands.

"This was a trailer," said farmer leader from Punjab, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, on the three-day protest.

"A bigger agitation will be held if the government does not show seriousness towards our demands," Lakhowal told PTI.

He said there are some demands which pertain to the state government which they have separately taken up with it and a meeting in this regard with the chief minister will be held on December 19.

Separately, a delegation of farmers from Haryana met Governor Bandaru Dattatreya here concerning various demands.

After the meeting, farmer leader Suresh Koth told reporters that they "want to give a clear warning to the government that we have and we can fight for our rights."

"If the government does not fulfil our demands, then you will see a bigger agitation than the one which was seen against (now repealed) farm laws," Koth said.

Farmers had in a protest against the now-repealed farm laws sat for more than a year at Delhi's Singhu and Tikri borders, grabbing headlines with their blockade of the key entry points to the national capital.

As part of their three-day protest, scores of farmers from Punjab had gathered at the Mohali-Chandigarh border demanding, among other things, a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops from the Centre.

Another group of farmers from Haryana had also converged in Panchkula.

Before meeting the Punjab Governor, farmers' representatives from Punjab on Tuesday met State Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on the last day of their three-day protest.

The protest was held under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha -- an umbrella body of several farmer unions.

The farmers later met Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit demanding the withdrawal of cases filed against them during the 2020-21 stir against the repealed farm laws, compensation and jobs for a family member of the farmers who died during that stir, debt waiver, and pension.

Lakhowal said they had submitted a memorandum to Purohit, who gave his assurance that he would "forward our demands to the Centre and try to fix a meeting with the government."

"We have ended our three-day protest and farmers are now headed back to their homes," Lakhowal said.

Another farmer leader from Punjab, Ravneet Brar, told reporters, "We had come to awaken the government to our demands which, if not met, will lead to a bigger agitation."

Koth said, "We will hold a meeting on December 11 in Hisar."

Addressing the media here after a delegation of Punjab farmers' representatives met him here, Khudian said that farmers have decided to submit another detailed memorandum to the state government by December 4.

After this, the farmers' representatives will meet the Punjab Chief Minister on December 19, he said.

Punjab farmers are also demanding a compensation for crop loss caused by floods in July and August, purchase of crops like maize, moong, sugarcane at assured price, Rs 450 a quintal of sugarcane, release of pending cane payment, and withdrawal of cases registered against farmers for stubble burning.

More than 30 farmers' bodies from Punjab, including Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), BKU (Lakhowal), and BKU (Dakunda) which are part of the SKM participated in the Mohali-Chandigarh protest which began on Sunday.

The farmers came on tractor trolleys, cars and other vehicles with a cargo of essential items such as ration, bedding, utensils, cooking gas, and cylinders for the three-day protest.

Heavy security arrangements had been made in view of the protest and traffic diverted to alternative routes.