PHAGWARA: Members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Doaba led by State General Secretary Satnam Singh Sahni staged a protest outside the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Phagwara on Tuesday, demanding immediate clearance of pending sugarcane arrears and the fixation of sugarcane prices at ₹500 per quintal for the upcoming crushing season.
Addressing the gathering, Sahni alleged that farmers have been waiting for four years for their overdue payments while the AAP-led Punjab Government has failed to take concrete measures to resolve the issue. He also criticised the state government for allegedly delaying compensation to families affected by recent floods in Punjab. Sahni further claimed that no financial relief has been provided to farmers who lost their tractors and agricultural equipment at the Khanouri and Shambhu borders when protests were forcibly lifted earlier.
Terming the protest a “warning” to the state administration, Sahni announced that the union would intensify its agitation if the demands remain unaddressed and may block the GT Road in Jalandhar on November 21 as the next course of action.
Later, the union leaders submitted a memorandum outlining their demands to SDM Phagwara, Jashanjeet Singh. The protest concluded peacefully, and the farmers dispersed at around 1:00 pm. Senior BKU Doaba leaders including Santokh Singh Lakhpur, NPress Secretary Gurpal Singh Pala, and Harbhajan Bajwa were present during the protest.