SATISH HANDA
Situation turning bad to worst all over in Haryana state due to farmers protest against three agriculture ordinances in Lok Sabha as a result protesting farmers blocked roads, highways and tried to paralyse all services in the state demanding to withdraw these ordinance stating as anti-farmers. Both Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala while talking to media persons blame leaders of political parties in opposition mainly Congress and INLD responsible for misguiding farmer and told that the decision has been taken to increase farmers income and improve infrastructure as well as management in grain markets without leaving any effect on minimum support prices of crops fixed by the government on purchase of farmers crops by government agencies, besides farmers would be free to sell their crops at higher rates in open market anywhere in the country. Khatter made an appeal to farmers that Congress as well as INLD leaders are misguiding innocent farmers for their political self-vested interest. He said, when UPA government was ruling in the country, Congress had supported contract farming and now they are strongly opposing the issue to improve system when BJP government is trying to create new sources for the prosperity of farmers.
According to information, Congress leaders organised several protest rallies in Haryana state on Monday led by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at Sonepat, HPCC president Shelja at Jind, Congress Working Committee Member Kuldeep Bishnoi at Hisar and other protest rallied held in every district across the state by senior party leaders. Shelja while addressing party workers accused BJP government involved in a conspiracy against farmers to hand over agriculture sector to benefit rich community when farmers would be compelled to dance at their tunes, which would adversely affect minimum support prices of crops, purchase by government agencies, grain markets management and PDS system merely cheating the farmers. Criticising ordinances Kuldeep Bishnoi, too, strongly condemned BJP government for handing over farming industry in the hands of rich community and make farmers their slave. Former Haryana Congress convener Ashok Buwaniwala alleges BJP government wants to disturb over 50 years old agriculture system, which will severely harm not only farmers but also commission agents in grain markets and traders.
Meanwhile, rice exporters, too, has started protest against ruling state government threatening that in case their demands are not accepted they would neither register themselves with government agencies nor purchase crops from grain markets in the state this year. In a meeting held at Kaithal attended by large number of rice millers, out of total number of 1338 rice milers in Haryana state has yet not registered with the government for procurement of paddy crop. Narender Miglani senior member of Rice Exporters Association raised a question when Mandi Tax in Punjab is being charged at the rate 1% why being charged at the rate 4% in Haryana state and threatened to constitute own grain markets by the rice exporters in the state demanding to waive 4% market fee, allow them one week for making payment to the farmers instead of 72 hours because government agencies has been permitted to make payment against procurement of crops within 15 days. They straightway refused to pay 4% market fee because it is difficult for them to compete prices in export business.
Executive President of Haryana State Grain Market Commission Association Rajnish Choudhary accused state government for not solving this issue and compelling them to go on strike. Similarly, Amarjit Singh Chhabra of Haryana Rice Millers association said that rice millers in the state has decided not to register with the state government demanding release of balance custom milling payment for the year 2019-20, waive holding charges, there should be no mortgage of properties towards security, milling rate for paddy crop should be paid minimum at the rate Rs 100 per quintal, 17% moisture rebate having total number of 17 demands in the memorandum submitted to the government. According to commission agents in the state grain markets, amount worth Rs 160 crore towards lustre loss and over Rs 42 crore towards interest on their commission is yet pending and unless the amount was not paid to them they are not prepared to associate with the government and observe close.
