Punjab farmers to make toll plazas free on July 14, hold protest

Faridkot, Jul 10 (PTI) Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal announced on Friday that protesters will make toll plazas across Punjab free of charge on July 14 to protest the Punjab government's proposed land-pooling policy, alleged irregularities in the Land Mortgage Bank, and the proposed India-US free trade agreement. In a statement, Dallewal, national convener of the non-political Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM Non-Political) and president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), alleged that the Bhagwant Mann government introduced the land-pooling policy to acquire fertile agricultural land and hand it over to corporate houses. He claimed that the policy would deprive farmers of their land and demanded its immediate withdrawal. Dallewal alleged that farmers were cheated by the Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development (Land Mortgage) Bank. Protests have continued since March 30 outside the bank's main branches in 12 districts, seeking justice for affected farmers and action against those responsible, citing the suicide of a farmer from Hari Nau village in Faridkot district. He said the farmer was driven to the extreme step after being harassed by officials of the Land Mortgage Bank. The farmer leader said instead of taking action against the accused, the state administration was intimidating protesting farmers through police. Dallewal demanded that the agriculture, dairy and poultry sectors be kept out of the proposed pact and called for the agreement to be scrapped, alleging it would impact Indian farmers. As part of the ongoing agitation, hundreds of farmers on Friday held a protest march in Faridkot and submitted a memorandum to the district administration outlining their demands, he said. PTI VSD ASD ASD