Farmers staged protests at 74 locations across the state on Monday, raising concerns over the shortage of urea, increasing fuel prices, alleged forced land acquisition and proposed international trade agreements that, they claim, could hurt domestic agriculture.
The demonstrations were organised by the All India Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (AIKMM), whose members burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raised slogans against the Centre.
The protesters also condemned the recent police lathi-charge on trainee linemen of the PSPCL in Patiala, asserting that peaceful protest was a constitutional right. They accused the state government of responding to public grievances through police action, instead of dialogue.
In Amritsar district, demonstrations were held at 12 places, including Golden Gate, Rayya, Jandiala Guru, Mehta Chowk, Kathunangal Toll Plaza, Majitha, Khiala Kalan, Ramdas, Gaggomahal Chowk, Ajnala, Lopoke and Khasa. Similar protests were held in Patiala, Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Pathankot, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Sangrur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Muktsar and Tarn Taran districts.
The protesters demanded immediate steps to address concerns over urea shortage, rising fuel prices, forced land acquisition and the India-US trade agreement relating to agriculture.
They said increased imports of cheaper agricultural commodities could adversely affect Indian farmers who were already struggling to secure remunerative prices for their produce. The organisation demanded that agriculture be kept out of the ambit of any such trade arrangement.
The AIKMM claimed that farmers in Punjab were facing difficulties in obtaining urea. It alleged that farmers were being compelled to purchase additional products, including nano-urea, to obtain conventional fertiliser, while black marketing had also been reported from several areas.
The organisation demanded adequate availability of urea at government-fixed rates and strict action against those involved in hoarding and black marketing.
Farmers added that higher fuel costs had significantly raised agricultural production expenses