Punjab Farmers to Call Off Stir on 6 June After Days of Agitation

The farmers had stopped supply of their produce to protest the alleged anti-farmer policies of the Centre.

Farmers throw tomatoes on a road during protest over various issues.

(Photo: PTI)

Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma

Farmers in seven states had announced a 10-day strike, starting 1 June, under the banner of the Rashtriya Kisan Maha Sangh, while protesting to demand loan waivers and implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee recommendations.

The farmers of Punjab, whose agitation entered the fourth day today, have decided to call off their stir on 6 June, even as the protest would continue in other states. The decision was taken in a meeting of leaders of different farmers' organisations on 4 June.

The farmers had begun their agitation on 1 June, as part of a nationwide stir, and had stopped the supply of vegetables, fruits, milk and other items to various cities in protest of the alleged anti-farmer policies of the Centre.

Rajewal said the farmers in Punjab would start supplying vegetables and milk to the cities on Wednesday after paying tribute to six farmers killed in police firing during an agitation in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur on 6 June last year.

"But the stir would continue in other states till 10 June," he said.

Meanwhile, the farmers held protests in various parts of Punjab and Haryana, with some dumping their produce on the roads.

Traders said due to dwindling supplies of farm produce in many mandis, prices were going up.

At a few places in Punjab, including in Bathinda and Moga districts, arguments broke out between traders and some farmer leaders as the former claimed that they were being stopped from selling their existing stocks of fruits and vegetables.

The decision to stop supplies from 1 June till 10 June was taken by farmers under the banner of Kisan Ekta Manch and Rashtriya Kisan Maha Sangh.

The meeting, presided by Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU-Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal, was attended by BKU (Lakhowal), BKU (Sidhpur), Indian Farmers Association, BKU (Kadian) and Punjab Dairy Federation Association.

The farmer organisations have been demanding minimum income guarantee scheme, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, and waiving of farmers' debts.

(With input from PTI)