Vibha sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 14
Representatives of 29 agricultural unions in Punjab today left the meeting called by the Center to resolve their concerns about the new agricultural laws. They accused the government of adopting double standards without a minister present to listen to them.
At least Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar should have been present, said Joginder Singh Ugrahan of the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) after a meeting of more than an hour with Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal.
Later, at the Krishi Bhavan here, agitated union leaders raised slogans and smashed copies of agricultural laws.
“On the one hand, the government has launched an outreach campaign to convince Punjab farmers and on the other, not even a minister was present at the meeting. We asked the secretary if the government was interested in solving the problem, ”asked Ugrahan.
Balbir Singh Rajewal of the BKU (Rajewal) said the 29 unions would meet in Chandigarh on Thursday to discuss the next course of action. “We told (the Secretary of Agriculture) that this is not just an agitation by Punjab farmers. We are trying to solve the problem peacefully, but attempts are being made to vitiate the atmosphere, ”Rajewal said.
The BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) intensified their commotion after the meeting. Its members sat in dharna outside the residences of nine BJP leaders from Punjab.
The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordinating Committee claimed that the meeting was “an effort to create a false impression that the Center is committed to farmers, when it is doing everything it can to enforce black laws.”
