Punjab farmers march to Parliament seeking higher rate for wheat

New Delhi, Mar 30 (UNI) Hundreds of farmers from Punjab joined by Ms Medha Patkar today marched to Parliament seeking Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the current wheat crop at Rs 1,200 per quintal, waiving of small farmers' loans and annulling of all 'benami' land sale deads which commision agents had entered with farmers under debt.

Slogan-shouting protesters who belonged to Bharat Kisan Union (Ekta) were carrying banner and placards as they began marching from Bangla Sahib Gurdwara.

They were stopped at Parliament Street by a heavy posse of police where they held a rally which was addressed by Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar and People's Democratic Front leader Dr B D Sharma urging the government that farmers should not be forced to pay more interest money than the principle loan amount.

Ms Medha Patkar said the cultiviable land of farmers should not be acquired for 'Special Economic Zones' which symbolised the retrun of colonialism through backdoor and were being developed to implememnt neo-liberal global and imperialistic policies in the country.

Supporting the farmers' cause, Dr B D Sharma said the government's attempts to bring about the so-called second revolution were aimed at rendering the Indian agriculture a capital-intensive venture which would lay off the farmers and facilitate the transfer of their land in the hand of big trade and coporate houses. Thus, the farmers would become tenants and tillers at their own lands, said Dr Darchan Pal leader of All India Resistance Forum.

Earlier, BKU president Balkar Singh Dakaunda said the price announced by the Government for purchasing wheat at Rs 850 per quintal was not renumerative while market price is already ruling at Rs 950 per quinbtal.

Meanwhile, BKU's Media in charge Jagmohan said the government should ensure jobs for the family members of those farmers whose land was being acquired for industry and other official purpose besides giving them prevailing market rate for the land.

Later, they submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding subsidy on farm inputs like diesel, fertilizer and pesticides, fixing of MSP for cotton at Rs 3,500 per quintal and Rs 900 per quintal for paddy.

The memorandum also sought crop insurance and payment of natural calamity allowance of Rs 15,000 per acre.

Yesterday, another faction of BKU from Punjab, headed by Balbir Singh Rajewal held demonstration at Jantar Mantar also sought rise in MSP for wheat and wirting off the farmers loans.

UNI