Farmers to gherao Badal's village to press their demands

Alleging that the government "failed" to respond positively to their demands, various farmers' bodies today said they will gherao Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's ancestral village, named Badal, in Muktsar district between January 22-24.

BKU (Ekta) General Secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokari said eight farmer organisations and four farm labourer unions have resolved to protest as the government "failed" to give positive response to their demands, including compensation.

He said the farmers' unions and labourers' organisations will also stage dharna at Amritsar from January 22 to 24.

Criticising the state government and Centre for their "anti-farmers" policies, he said they would not sit idle till the State changes its stance and meets their demands.
 

He said their demands include compensation of Rs 40,000 per acre for the loss of cotton crop in the Malwa belt, and Rs 30,000 per acre to farm labourers who could not get work and compensation due to cotton crop damages.

They also demanded possession of plots already allotted in Amritsar district to the farm labourers.