DW BUREAU / New Delhi

Punjab Congress MPs led by state unit chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday staged a protest in the Parliament complex against the BJP-led Central government and the AAP-led Punjab government over long-pending demands of farmers. The protest, staged by Amar Singh, Dharamvir Gandhi, Sukhjinder Randhawa, and Sher Singh Ghubaya, was aimed at highlighting the "betrayal" of farmers and "exposing" the deliberate hardships "imposed" on the agricultural community.

Speaking during the protest, Warring slammed the BJP for "failing" to fulfil the promises made to farmers when the three "black" farm laws were repealed in December 2021.

"Not one of the 12 demands of farmers has been met. The promise of a legal guarantee for the MSP (minimum support price) remains unfulfilled. Cases filed during the farmers' protests have not been withdrawn, and the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident are still waiting for justice," Warring said.

"This is not just negligence; it is a direct assault on the farmers who feed our nation," he said.

He accused the BJP of taking revenge against Punjab and its farmers for their leading role in the historic farmers' movement. "The BJP government is deliberately delaying paddy procurement in Punjab, ensuring that farmers face unbearable losses. This is a calculated move to weaken farming communities and pave the way for private players to exploit our fields. It is shameful how a government can stoop to such levels to dismantle the backbone of our nation," he added.

Warring did not spare the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab Government, accusing it of breaking promises and presiding over the worst procurement season in Punjab's history.

"Bhagwant Mann and his government promised procurement of all crops, but farmers are now left stranded in the markets for over a month, waiting for their produce to be procured. Crops are rotting while the state government is busy making excuses. This is a betrayal of Punjab's farmers, and we will not stand for it," he said.

Highlighting the shortage of essential farming inputs, he said, "Farmers have been facing massive shortages of DAP and cuts in procurement, while both the BJP-led Union government and the AAP-led Punjab government have focused only on empty statements. These failures are nothing but a strategy to destroy our farming ecosystem."

Warring emphasised that the Congress would continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with farmers in their fight for justice. "We raised our voice in Parliament today to expose the anti-farmer policies of both the BJP and AAP. The Congress will not let these governments ruin Punjab's agricultural heritage."

Dharamvira Gandhi, the MP from Patiala, said the government should also announce a loan waiver for farmers in northern India. "The state and Central governments have not taken steps to resolve issues faced by farmers in Punjab," he added. / IANS /

(editor@dailyworld.in)