Punjab farmers to block highways in protest over FIRs for stubble burning

New Delhi: Punjab farmers will launch a protest on Saturday against various issues plaguing the farming community, including FIRs registered for stubble burning, slow paddy procurement and the state government’s decision to reduce DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) fertiliser stocks by 30 per cent.

Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced on Friday that the highways in Majha Malwa-Doaba area would be blocked on the issue of FIRs registered for stubble burning, slow paddy procurement and DAP.

“We will completely block the highways in Batala, Sangrur, Phagwara and Megha,” Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Friday.

However, emergency services will remain operational on Saturday despite the protest.

This is the second day running that protests are being held by Punjab farmers.

On Friday, activists of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), blocked roads across Punjab for four hours to protest the tardy paddy procurement, leading to traffic disruptions and inconvenience to tens of thousands of commuters at many places in the state.

Significantly, there were no reports of violence from anywhere in the state. Emergency and essential services like ambulances and school buses were also exempted from the blockade.

However, commuters are likely to face more inconvenience on Saturday with Pandher’s Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announcing a road blockade for an indefinite period at many places to protest against the “tardy” paddy procurement.

The protesters criticised the state government’s decision to reduce DAP fertiliser stocks by 30 per cent and demanded a steady supply of DAP.

SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal blamed both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of Punjab and the BJP-led Central government for the mess.

He said they should not play the blame game at the cost of farmers and the economy of the state.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) Ludhiana district president Charan Singh Noorpura said corporate entities are taking advantage of open market policies that undercut small-scale farmers.