Mandi Ahmedgarh, Nov 7

Irked over the delay in compensation to Malwa cotton growers who have incurred losses due to pink bollworm attack, farmers, including activists of BKU (Ugrahan), today detained Congress leaders and PA to Cabinet Minister Razia Sultana at Maholi Khurd village.

However, leaders were freed after three hours when the minister gave assurance on telephone that the issue of bollworm-hit farmers would be raised by her in the Vidhan Sabha Session on Monday. Razia Sultana also assured that other development works in the constituency would be completed soon.

BKU (Ugrahan) block president Sher Singh said the action had been taken as Congress leaders had ignored call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha regarding restrictions on political activities till the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi kept his promise of immediate compensation to cotton growers of Bathinda. “We acted when we came to know some Congress leaders had visited our village to undertake political activities. We later found that the detained leader was PA to Minister Razia Sultana,” said Sher Singh. — OC