Rooftop protest to seek money for wheat in Punjab

Neel Kamal | TNN | Apr 26, 2020, 08:26 IST

Protesters close ranks on rooftops of homes across many villages

BATHINDA: In a departure from usual methods of protesting by holding up rail and road traffic, 16 farmer outfits along with youth and labour organisations on Saturday held hour-long rooftop demonstrations in many districts of the state to highlight their demands.
The tableaux of protesters clad in turbans of various hues and women in colourful veils presented an unusual sight in many villages of Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Barnala, Moga, Patiala districts of curfew-bound Punjab. They were seeking sorting out of glitches related to wheat procurement, including lifting of grains to create space in mandis, prompt payment on purchase of grains, providing ration to poor at their doorsteps and speeding up testing for coronavirus. Due to the lockdown, most of the activists, with masks on and carrying flags of their respective organisations, used the loudspeakers to attract a bigger audience in villages. At most places, they also tried to follow the social distance norm. The activists claimed that they were more concerned about the health of the workers as poor people do not have access to affordable, quality treatment and are more prone to many ailments.
Farm organisation BKU Ekta Ugrahan state president Joginder Singh Ugrahan, who addressed a large number of persons standing on the roofs of their respective houses at Ugrahan village in Sangrur, said, "Both procurement seasons are of vital importance to the farmers, and any lapse in procurement spells loss for the agriculturists.
Farmers now want the lifting process to be speeded up and the payment made within 48 hours of the purchase of their grains." He said a large number of poor families have exhausted their ration and if more stocks are not provided to them at the earliest, they faced starvation. He also sought more agressive testing for the virus in the rural areas.
The protests were held at Bhalaiana, Killianwali, Gaggar, Singhewala, Chunu, Bhagsar in Muktsar, half-a -dozen villages in Bathinda including Maur Charat Singh, Giddar, Bhucho, Saddowal, Mehal Kalan in Barnala, many villages in Lehragaga area of Sangrur, Bhainibagha, Hoga and Ralla in Mansa, Samalsar in Moga. Sanitation contract workers union too participated at some places.